Tipu Jayanti celebration: Police ban processions, thick security in Bengaluru

BENGALURU: The city has come under a thick security blanket ahead of the ‘Tipu Jayanti’ celebrations organised across the state by the government tomorrow to mark the birth anniversary of the 18th century ruler of the Mysore Kingdom.

A large number of policemen have been deployed in the sensitive places.

No procession or anti-procession will be allowed in the city that is related to Tipu Jayanti, except for the one organised by the state government, according to police.

Bengaluru Police Commissioner T Suneel Kumar said, “We are not giving permission to any procession, whether it is in favour of Tipu Jayanti or against it. The government itself is celebrating the event in various parts of the city for which we have made elaborate arrangements.”

He said 30 Karnataka State Reserved Police (KSRP) platoons and 25 armed platoons, besides policemen and officers of city police will be deployed.

“As many as 13,000 policemen, along with the personnel of the Garud Commando Force, 30 platoons of the Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) and 20 platoons of the City Armed Reserve (CAR), will be deployed in the sensitive and the hypersensitive areas,” Kumar said.

“Besides the regular police, we will deploy Home Guard personnel,” he added.

He said there will be celebrations only at the places identified by the government, adding that the police would deal firmly with those who plan to create trouble. Section 144 will be impose if required and a strict action will be taken against anyone who breaks the rules.

“We have not made any preventive arrests so far but if the situation rises, section 144 (prohibitory order) may be imposed,” Kumar said.

Earlier in the week, the Karnataka High Court refused to put a stay on Tipu Sultan Jayanti celebrations and finally slated it to be celebrated across the state on November 10.

The Karnataka Government, headed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, has planned to celebrate the erstwhile ruler’s birth anniversary.

However, the BJP, some right wing groups and the members of Kodava community are opposing the Tipu Jayanti celebrations alleging that Tipu was a religious “bigot” who had massacred many people and forced them to embrace Islam.

Tipu Jayanti is being observed since 2015 following a government decision, which had triggered a major row and caused violence in Kodagu district that year.

Agencies inputs