Karnataka town tense after youths thrashed for putting up Kannada flag, FIR against 5

Belagavi, (Karnataka) Dec 20 (IANS) Sankeshwara town in Karnataka's Belagavi district is tense after youths were thrashed allegedly for putting up a Kannada flag near the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji.

The police have lodged an FIR against five persons in connection with the incident and detained one.

According to the police, the incident occurred in Ankali village near Sankeshwar town four days ago. A group objecting to the placement of the Kannada flag near the Shivaji statue demanded its immediate removal.

When the demand was refused, the group attacked youths who supported the installation of the Kannada flag. A video of the incident later went viral on social media. Kannada organisations staged a protest and condemned the police's inaction in this regard.

Later, the police finally registered the case.

There was a proposal to install statues of freedom fighter Sangolli Rayanna and Shivaji together. However, the proposal faced opposition, and demands were made to install the statues at separate venues. Amidst these developments, a Kannada flag was installed near the Shivaji statue, leading to the altercation, sources said.

Security has been tightened in the area.