Following arrests, drama unfolds at Old Hubballi police station

Hubballi: A group of women staged a protest demanding the release of their arrested family members at Old Hubballi police station on Sunday morning.
Claiming that their family members were innocent, the women said they were arrested while they were returning from a place of worship after offering prayers on Saturday night.
A homemaker said that her husband was just watching the crowd when police forcefully took him to the station.Like her, many women cried to get their family members released. They even sought help from MLA Prasad Abbayya and former minister A M Hindasageri. The leaders said they have requested police to release those who are innocent.
Abbayya told reporters that police should take stringent action against culprits. “Hubballi had not witnessed such an incidents since 2009. We have discussed with the police commissioner and pressed for a fair investigation. We have also told police not to punish innocent persons. A comprehensive probe is needed to trace the culprits. A peace meeting should also be held at the earliest,” he said.
Even as Abbayya was speaking to reporters, an inspector requested him to leave the place and avoid crowding at the station. Abbayya returned to the top cop and complained about the inspector.
Expressing regret over the incident, Mohammed Yusuf Savanur, president of Anjuman-e-Islam, said: “There must be some vested interests behind this act. All youths are in 20-25 age group. I still wonder how they brought such a huge stock of stones. A thorough investigation is needed,” he said, adding: “We have appealed to our people to maintain law and order.”
Dharwad DC Nitesh Patil said police are collecting CCTV footages from surrounding areas. “The number of arrests may be increased soon, and all those arrested will be produced before the magistrate. We have deployed police forces from Haveri, Gadag, Bagalkot, and Belagavi in sensitive areas in the city,” he added.
The miscreants have also vandalised a place of worship located near the police station. The members of the committee managing the place of worship met on Sunday morning and submitted a memorandum to police.
Meanwhile, many cars and bikes parked on the roadside in the surrounding areas were also found damaged on Sunday morning. Police have asked people to inform them if their vehicle or property is damaged.
Govardhan Rao, an RSS activist, said the incident looks pre-planned and seems to be an attempt to create fear among Hindus. “However, Hindus will not get disturbed by such incidents,” he said.
After meeting the police commissioner at Old Hubballi police station, Rao said if any untoward incident happens, then people should approach police and seek justice. But damaging properties is not justified, he said, and urged the government to restore the place of worship which was damaged due to stone-pelting.