By IANS,
Bangalore : A series of stabbings in Mangalore has prompted authorities to order the closure of all commercial establishments by 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday in this city of Karnataka’s communally volatile Dakshina Kannada district.
Though the order came into force Friday, the main shopping streets of Mangalore, around 350 km from here, that are usually crowded till 10 p.m. were deserted late Thursday itself, police said.
There is no bar on public transport and movement of private vehicles. But most of the vehicles, particularly buses, were off the road as there were no passengers, officials said.
The decision to close all commercial establishments by 8 p.m. was taken by district authorities Thursday as they fear major clashes ahead of the Ganesh festival.
Deputy Commissioner V. Ponnuraj, who announced the decision at a press meet in Mangalore Thursday, did not give details of the stabbing spree. He and senior police officials of the district said there have been several incidents, though no death has been reported.
With the major festival of Ganeshotsav starting Sunday, the district authorities have appealed to Mangaloreans who want to celebrate it, to cooperate with them.
Mangalore has a large population of Muslims and Christians as well.
Once known for communal harmony, the city – whose flowers were grown by Christians, sold by Muslims and bought by Hindus – and other areas of the district have become highly volatile in the last few years.
For the first time, churches were attacked this year by right-wing Hindu groups alleging attempts at conversion and disrespect to Hindu deities.
Mangalore is also now caught in a controversy over Muslim girl students wearing head scarfs to colleges.
A college in Bantwal, about 50 km from Mangalore, early this month barred a first-year graduation student from attending the classes wearing a head scarf.
The 19-year-old Ayesha Ashmin is insisting that she be allowed to wear the scarf and has sought the intervention of Mangalore University officials and district authorities.
The principals of colleges affiliated to the university are meeting in the next two days to find a solution to the issue of dress code on their campuses.