Funeral at disputed land triggers communal clash; Masjid, temple attacked

Bhatkal, Mar 24: A tense atmosphere prevailed in Murdeshwar in Bhatkal taluk after a clash erupted between two groups belonging to different communities over a land dispute.

Houses, buildings and places of worship belonging both communities were attacked by miscreants in an apparent bid to intensify the communal unrest.

The trouble started after local Sangh Parivar activists deliberately carried out the funeral rites of a woman on disputed land adjacent to a Hindu cremation ground near Aloofa Sports Club at Murudeshwar.

It is said that the land in fact belongs to a local Muslim institution called Jamathul Muslimeen, but a few leaders of Sangh Parivar have been trying to encroach.

The Jamathul Muslimeen says that it owns the ground and has all the records to prove the same. On the other hand, Sangh Parivar leaders claim that the government had allotted the land for cremation purpose. Assistant commissioner Chidananda Wathare said that he would study the land records and then decide on the future course of action.

Police had to resort to baton charge to disperse the mob and bring the situation under control during the cremation of the woman on disputed land. Several people suffered injuries when miscreants from both groups pelted stones, police sources said.

Eye witnesses said that a few Sangh Parivar activists pelted stones at Masjids and houses belonging to Muslims in front of the police. Window glass panes a Masjid were damaged. More than a dozen houses belonging to Muslims were also damaged.

A small temple belonging to Hindus was also slightly damaged due to stone pelting. Venkatesh Raman, who resides near Ghousia Masjid said that a group of miscreants pelted stones at Hiredomi Nagaramane shrine on Monday night.

It could be recalled here that a similar clash had erupted between two groups when a cricket tournament was organized on the same ground.

Security has been beefed up near the disputed land and other sensitive areas of the town after Monday’s clash. Superintendent of police R Dilip has said that several persons have been taken into custody for interrogation.

On Tuesday, a peace meeting between leaders of both communities was also hosted by Mr Dilip, who urged the people to maintain the peace.