"Whether it's Hindu or Muslim, action will be taken against those who created such a rift": Karnataka Minister N Cheluvarayaswamy

Mandya: Following the riots that broke out over allegations of stone pelting at a Ganpati immersion procession on Wednesday in Nagamangala in Karnataka's Mandya district, Karnataka Minister N Cheluvarayaswamy said that action will be taken against anyone who created the rift despite belonging to any religious groups, caste or community.
"We don't give any importance to any community or caste, whether it's Hindu or Muslim; action will be taken against those who created such a rift," Cheluvarayaswamy said on Thursday.
Earlier, Cheluvarayaswamy visite Mandya and inspected the site where violence broke out on Wednesday.
Following his visit, Cheluvarayaswamy said that the situation currently is peaceful there and that the Revenue Department and Police will do a survey and assess the damages and will submit the reports by this evening.
"The situation is peaceful now. Some shops and motorcycles have suffered damage...Several shopkeepers have also filed complaints. The Revenue Department and Police will survey and assess the damage and submit a report by evening today. I will further take the report to the CM so that compensation can be given," he said.
As per Mandya District Collector Kumar, till now, 54 people have been arrested in this incident and probationary orders have been imposed with schools and colleges shut today.
"The present situation is under control. We have deployed sufficient force and taken all precautionary measures. We have imposed probationary orders and declared a holiday for schools and colleges today. 54 people have been arrested in this incident. We are assessing the damages," he said.
As per the Superintendent of Police of Mandya, Mallikarjun Baladandi, the incident took place when the Ganapati procession stopped and started dancing in front of a Dargh for five to seven minutes. Following this, the people from the other group of people came and told the procession to leave, which resulted in a word exchange but the police cleared the situation between these two groups.
This led to the group who were part of the Ganpati procession holding a protest in front of the Nagamangala station, blaming the police for not allowing them to continue with their procession. The police tried to convince the group and also allowed them to continue with their Ganesh immersion procession, SP Baladandi added.
Baladandi further said that during that time many from both sides gathered and threw stones at each other and the police had to interfere again. When the groups were returning, they set shops and bikes on fire.
As per the Mandy SP, seven bikes and six small shops were burnt and a total of 15 bikes and a car were slightly damaged during the whole incident.