Karnataka: VHP Member's Shop Set On Fire, Police Suspect Attempt To Provoke Communal Clashes

Uppinangady police visited the spot and are suspecting that the incident might be an attempt to provoke communal clashes in the region.

(Representation Picture)

Chennai: Unidentified person(s) set fire on a roadside shop belonging to a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) member in Karnataka on Sunday night. The incident took place near Helegetu at Uppinangady In the Dakshina Kannada district. 

According to a report from The New Indian Express, the owner of the shop was identified as Ashok, who is a member of VHP. He had stored fish and ice at his shop. 

The report said that Uppinangady police visited the spot and are suspecting that the incident might be an attempt to provoke communal clashes in the region. Puttur MLA, who reached the spot, urged the deputy superintendent of police to initiate a probe immediately and arrested the accused at the earliest. 

A couple of weeks ago, VHP members from Ullal in neighboring Mangaluru district staged a protest demanding the government to set up a permanent National Investigation Agency (NAI) office and an army camp in the district after the agency had made an arrest in connection with Kerala’s ISIS module case, according to a Times Now report. 

Pointing out that there is a need for the Hindu community to wake up against terrorist activists, Sharan Pumpwell, VHP Mangaluru division secretary, said that the NIA investigation has revealed the involvement of a Hindu woman in terror activities after converting to another religion, according to the report. 

Quoting him, the report further said that it has been proved that anti-nationals are making the coastal region their base.