Hundreds of people from Maharashtra tried to enter K’taka, sent back: Senior cop

Around 200-300 people from Maharashtra on Tuesday tried to enter Karnataka, a day after the massive gathering of demonstrators was witnessed near the border between both states. They were sent back by the Karnataka Police and situation was brought under control.

“Some 200-300 people from Maharashtra tried to enter Karnataka but were sent back. Now, there’s a peaceful situation. Police deployed to ensure no untoward incident happens. We are monitoring the areas & protests as well,” Alok Kumar, the additional deputy general of police, law and order, Karnataka, told media.

On Monday, a huge demonstration was staged near the Karnataka-Maharashtra border as both the state assemblies began their winter session. Members of Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) participated in the demonstration.

Earlier, both MES and NCP members’ demand to hold protests in Karnataka’s Belagavi near border area was refused, following which they staged demonstration at the Kagnoli toll plaza. Permission was also denied to MES to hold its Maha Melava at Tilakwadi’s Vaccine Depot ground.

Over 60 organisations have reportedly sought permission from police to stage demonstration in Belagavi to draw government’s attention towards their demand.

On Sunday, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) member Sanjay Raut targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi by saying that he mediates on the Ukraine war issue and stay silent on issues between Karnataka and Maharashtra.