Mangaluru: Arsonists destroy 22 shops after communal clash; policemen among injured

[email protected] (CD Network | Photos by Moany Gatty)

February 26, 2015

Mangaluru, Feb 26: A tense atmosphere has prevailed in parts of Mangaluru taluk after a communal clash and arson attack on shops belonging to Muslims in the wee hours of Thursday.

Property worth lakhs of rupees have been destroyed as 22 small shops located near Thokkottu junction have been gutted in fire.

Irfan’s plastic materials shop, Aida Bayi’s vegetable store and flower store, Ibrahim’s vegetable store, Bhagavan Das’ grocery shop, Rafeeq’s footwear shop, Monu Kaka’s dry fish store, Mustafa’s toy shop, Ibrahim Bhai’s flower shop, Latheef’s grocery shop, Mansoor’s grocery shop, Azeez’s cloth store and Bava’s vegetable store have been completely charred.

The arsonist targeted shops, most of them belonging to Muslims, at around 2 a.m. hours after a group clash between miscreants belonging to two communities, which left several persons injured including policemen at K C Road, near Thokkottu.

The clash erupted on Wednesday late night when a group of people put up buntings and saffron flags at KC Road junction as part of Brahma Kalashotsava at Sri Durga Parameshwari Temple. A group of local youth belonging to another community reportedly switched off the street lights after a verbal fight with them.

This led to a clash between two groups and stones were pelted from both the sides. The stone battle disrupted vehicular movement on the national highway 66 and also damaged a Duster car, sources said.

The police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control through mild baton charge. In the melee, several persons were injured including policemen. Three cops from Ullal station - Chandra Naik, Kamalakhshya and ASI Mohandas - sustained injuries when miscreants from both sides pelted stones. They have been hospitalized.

Additional police personnel have been deployed in KC Road, Thokkottu, Ullal and surrounding areas. KSRP personnel are also patrolling the area. DCP Vishnuvardhan, ACP Kalyan Shetty, Sub-Inspector Pavithra Teja and PSI Bharati among others camped in the area to monitor the situation.

Also Read:

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QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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