Two persons were killed,including one in police firing, and four others injured on Monday in violence during protests by Muslims over publication of an article penned by controversial Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen in a vernacular daily.
The authorities imposed dusk-to-dawn curfew in four trouble-hit localities in old Shimoga, hometown of Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa.
While one died in police firing, the other succumbed to injuries sustained in stone-pelting in hospital, police said.
A 1500-strong crowd took out a procession to express their anger over the Kannada translation of Taslima's article published yesterday in a leading Kannada daily on burqa tradition.
The procession turned violent as some persons pelted stones on vehicles. At least 20 vehicles, including eight state transport corporation buses, were damaged.
Police said as the situation threatened to go out of control, they opened fire, killing a person. Police said four others injured in stone-pelting have been hospitalised.
Prohibitory orders was also imposed on the entire city and additional reinforcements of police rushed, Superintendent of Police S Murugan said.
Hassan was also tense after 15,000 Muslims held a protest rally and submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner.
Several vehicles were damaged in stone-pelting and some shops were torched, police said.
Yeddyurappa, who made a suo motu statement in the state assembly on the violence in Shimoga and Hassan, said "the situation is under control now".
He said cases have been booked against those involved in violence.
Sensing trouble over the article, the police heads in all districts were alerted yesterday itself, he said, adding a strict vigil was being maintained. PTI
