Preventive arrests made to thwart rallies; Peace meeting at DC Office today at 3 pm

Madikeri: Kodagu Sub-Divisional Magistrate and Madikeri Division Assistant Commissioner, Vinayak Narwade Karbhari, has imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) in Kattemad village.

The restrictions, effective until Jan. 2, 2025, follow tensions over a dress code for temple entry at the Maha Mrithyunjaya Mahadeshwara Kshetra.

The order was issued upon the request of Superintendent of Police (SP) K. Ramarajan to ensure peace and maintain law and order after a dispute erupted during the temple’s anniversary celebrations.

The prohibitory order specifies that assemblies of more than five people for protests, processions, rallies or any provocative declarations are banned within a 5-km radius of the Sri Maha Mrithyunjaya Temple.

The area has been designated as restricted, with demonstrations strictly prohibited. The measure aims to prevent further escalation of tensions and ensure public safety.

On Dec. 28, certain members of the Kodava community, including women in traditional attire, were barred from entering the temple by individuals from the Arebhashe Gowda community, reportedly representing the Temple Management Board. They were told to either remove their traditional attire or  leave the premises.

The incident has sparked outrage among the Kodava community, with some members threatening a ‘Kodavara Nade Kattemadu Kade’ protest, calling the restrictions an attack on their cultural practices.

Security measures include deploying over 100 personnel, including Karnataka State Reserve Police and District Armed Forces, within the temple premises, along with Police patrols in the area. The temple remains closed after the morning puja today,  with no further rituals scheduled for the day.

Preventive arrests: A peaceful vehicle rally was planned from Ponnampet to Kattemad this morning. However, the Police pre-emptively detained rally organisers and their hundreds of supporters, all clad in traditional Kodava dresses, in Ponnampet and transported them in Police buses to Kushalnagar and other areas, far from their native villages to prevent the rally.

Protesters gathered at Ponnampet Police Station in response to the detentions and were seen arguing with the Police to release them.

Despite prior Police requests to cancel the rally, organisers insisted they would proceed peacefully, without roadblocks. Police are currently engaging with the organisers to defuse  the situation.

In response to the arbitrary preventive arrests, Hudikeri Town in South Kodagu observed a total bandh this morning, demanding the Police to immediately release all the arrested individuals.

Peace meeting

To ease tensions, the Kodagu District Administration has convened a peace meeting at 3.30 pm today at the Kodagu DC Office. Leaders from both communities, including the Presidents of the Akhila Kodava Samaja and Kodava Federation, as well as representatives of the Arebhashe Gowda community, have been invited to mediate and  resolve the conflict.

SP Ramarajan told reporters that the District Administration would intervene and take appropriate action if an appeal is filed questioning the temple’s by-law. “The by-law was recently created and is not an ancestral practice. A detailed examination is required to determine whether any fundamental rights are being violated. While no appeals have been submitted yet, Police personnel will remain deployed for a few days to maintain order,”  he added.