Ullal limps back to normalcy

Normalcy returned to Ullal on Saturday, however, the Section 144 imposed will continue till Sunday night. As the educational institutions remained closed in Ullal on Saturday, there were no activities on the road. A few  buses were plying between Ullal and Mangalore. 

However, the security has been beefed up. The police were seen announcing in loud speakers asking people to go inside their houses as the prohibitory orders were in force, at Ullal, Seaground, Kotepura and Kodi. Majority of the buses to Ullal had stopped plying later in the evening. Even the shops were closed in the evening. 

As per the Ullal police records, six juveniles have been arrested. The juveniles have been sent to remand home in Shimoga. The buses plying from Ullal-Kotepura route had remained off the road. In the meantime, miscreants had pelted stones at Maskajidul Ulum Salafi masjid, near Konaje on Friday night. 

Action against culprits

With the maintenance of law and order, the situation in Ullal and surrounding areas is getting back to normalcy, said District-in-Charge Minister B Ramanath Rai. Addressing media persons in Mangalore on Saturday, he said all possible measures have been taken to prevent untoward incidents. Directions have been issued to the department of police to initiate action against the people who try to disturb peace and deliberately spread rumours.

The rapid action force has been deployed in the region to keep an eye on the situation. In order to prevent the situation getting tensed further, the entry of political and social leaders into the region, has been restricted, the minister said. Rai further said that investigations related to untoward incidents will be carried out by the police. So far, 76 people have been arrested for disturbing peace, including four related to stone pelting incident in Chebugudde. 

Section 144 will be effective till the situation is completely normal. Prohibitory orders will be temporarily evoked from 10 am to 6 pm, to facilitate the people to get access to essential commodities.

Peace committee meet

Once the situation returns completely to normalcy, steps will be taken to conduct peace committee meetings on every month in police station limits, Rai added.

Rai meanwhile requested public not to pay heed to rumours. He stressed on the need for the people to be united, transcending communal barriers. He told the public to cooperate with the administration and police in maintaining peace, law and order.

Mangalore MLA and Minister for Health and Family Welfare U T Khader, Mangalore South MLA J R Lobo, Deputy Commissioner A B Ibrahim, Commissioner of Police R Hitendra and Superintendent of Police Shanthanu Sinha were present.