Bantwal, Sep 16 (IANS): Two persons were arrested on Monday for allegedly provoking Hindus on B C Road of Bantwal taluk ahead of the Eid Milad festival, said officials here adding that a case has also been filed against a VHP leader in the Cybercrime, Economic Offences and Narcotic (CEN) Mangaluru police station.

The arrested persons were identified as Mohammad Shareef, former president of Bantwal Municipality Corporation and his relative Hasinar, police sources said. The case has been filed against the VHP Dakshina Kannada Divisional Joint Secretary Sharan Pumpwell for inciting remarks.

Dakshina Kannada Superintendent of Police (SP) N Yathish said the Eid Milad procession and a protest by Hindu activists have been peaceful and normalcy is completely restored in the B C Road region in Bantwal taluk near Mangaluru city. “The B C Road is back to normalcy and the police have reined in the situation,” said Yathish.

“The route of the Eid Milad procession was not changed by the police. We had given permission for Hindu organisations as they had sought permission to stage a peaceful protest. We have warned them that legal action will be initiated if anything goes wrong,” SP Yathish stated.

“Action has been initiated against two persons for releasing the provoking audio. Mohammad Shaeer and Hasinar have been arrested. We conducted peace meetings for the Eid Milad as well as the Ganesh festival celebrations much earlier. No untoward incident has taken place till now and we will not allow anything to go wrong in future,” SP Yathish said.

The security on the B C Road will be arranged as per the circumstances, he added.

Tension prevailed in the communally sensitive coastal district of Dakshina Kannada on Monday as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal called for Hindus to hold a procession on B C Road in Bantwal taluk, near Mangaluru city, on the occasion of Eid Milad.

Police forces rushed to the spot, and a tense situation prevailed in the area.

Hindu activists stated that the procession call was in response to provocative statements made by a Muslim leader, who allegedly challenged Hindu leaders to come to B C Road during the Eid Milad celebrations. Angered by this, the VHP and Bajrang Dal urged Hindus to gather on B C Road. As Hindu organisation leaders and workers arrived in large numbers at the Raktheshwari temple on B C Road, Dakshina Kannada SP, N. Yathish rushed to the scene, and police reserve platoons were also deployed to the area.

The police, as a precautionary measure, denied permission for the Eid Milad procession to pass through B C Road and provided an alternative route instead.

Hindu workers staged a flash protest, chanting slogans like "Jai Bhajrang," and “We have come, where are you” while the police attempted to stop them.

Protesters tried to march ahead on B C Road, but the police managed to halt them after considerable effort.

SP Yathish later spoke to the Hindu leaders and attempted to calm the situation. However, they rejected the police's assurance to file a complaint about the provocative statements and demanded more decisive action, expressing frustration over the perceived inaction they had observed over time.

Prasad Kumar, the VHP President of Bantwal, stated that Hindu workers and leaders had gathered on BC Road in response to the call for a protest. "We decided to stage a protest after accepting the challenge from Muslim leaders," he said.

Addressing Hindu activists, VHP Dakshina Kannada Divisional Joint Secretary Sharan Pumpwell stated that the challenge given to him and his supporters to come to B C Road during the Eid Milad procession was not just a challenge to him but was a challenge to the whole Hindu community. “That’s why we are here. I condemn the actions of the police to prevent our rally. I have not issued a provoking statement. In Nagamangala town, Hindu shops are torched. The person who made the challenge should have been here,” he maintained.

The tensions were sparked by comments from Mohammad Shareef, former president of Bantwal Municipality Corporation, who had challenged Sharan Pumpwell to come to B C Road during Eid Milad. This was in reaction to Pumpwell’s speech about the recent violence during the Ganesh Visarjan in Nagamangala town, Mandya district. Sharan Pumpwell had stated that if Hindus decide they won’t allow the procession on the B C Road.

Although the police have brought the situation under control, the atmosphere in the region remained tense.