Rally demanding 2A tag for Panchamasali Lingayats turns violent; cops cane protesters to stop them from laying siege to Suvarna Soudha

Belagavi:  The tractor rally by activists belonging to Lingayat Panchamsali community demanding 2A reservation, turned violent, as the Police caned to disperse them, thwarting their bid to lay siege to Suvarna Vidhana Soudha  here on Tuesday.

The Winter Session of the State Legislature had entered its second day and the Police had put up barricades around the Suvarna Soudha, as a precautionary security measure.

The protesters allegedly made a bid to break through the barricades, by driving their tractors, forcing the Police to resort to use force to quell them. During the melee, several of the farmers also sustained injuries, leading to a tense situation.

The aggrieved protesters resorted to stone pelting damaging the Government vehicles and those of MLAs and MLCs, leaving over 20 Policemen and 50 of the protesters injured.

Lingayat Panchamasali Mutt Seer Sri Basava Jaya Mruthyunjaya Swamiji, who was spearheading the protest, was detained and whisked away in a vehicle by Additional SP  Narayan Baramani.

Earlier, as the situation was going out of hand, ADGP (Law and Order) R. Hitendra ordered for lathi charge.

The injured protesters were rushed to hospitals, where they are undergoing treatment.

Deputy Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly Arvind Bellad, Vijayapura City MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, Rajya Sabha MP Iranna B. Kadadi and several other leaders were also taken into custody by the Police.