Central forces arrive in violence-hit Karnataka

Central forces have begun arriving in Karnataka after the team of senior Home Ministry officials toured the communal violence-hit parts of state and returned to the national capital.

Three companies of Rapid Action Force (RAF) have arrived in Karnataka and have been stationed at Bangalore and Mangalore.

One company of RAF comprising 150 presonnel including 12 women led by a Deputy Commandant has been stationed at Bajpe in Mangalore, where large-scale communal violence had broken out after suspected pro-Hindu activists had attacked churches in different parts of the state.

The RAF companies will be stationed in Bangalore and put under the command of the Director General of Police.

The arrival of RAF companies was preceded by an announcement to the effect by senior Home Ministry official Special Secretary (Internal Security) M L Kumawat, who toured Karnataka. “The Karnataka Government has asked for three companies of RAF, which was agreed to”, he said.

During its tour of Karnataka, the two-member Central team led by Kumawat went around Mangalore, Udupi and other affected areas of state before reaching Bangalore and holding a discussion with senior officials.

Kumawat said the team held meetings with deputy commissioners, superintendents of police of the violence-hit districts, besides the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police in Bangalore.

“The affected community is upset and unhappy. They complained against the police. More patrolling, more preventive action and peace meetings are required to keep such incidents under a check”, Kumawat said.

Meanwhile, the arrival of three companies of RAF also co-incides with the demand placed before the Federal Government by the National Commission for Minorities to immediately deploy paramilitary forces in the sensitive areas of the state.

A tam of the National Commission for Minorities led by Chairman Mohammed Shafi Qureshi visited the violence-hit areas of the state and sought stringent action against Bajrang Dal activists, who had let loose a reign of terror against Christians and targeted their places of worship.
The Federal Government should rush paramilitary forces to Karnataka to ensure the safety and security of life and property of the Christians, who are being attacked, the Commission said in its report that has been submitted to the Government.