The Karnataka government on Tuesday clamped prohibitory orders under Section 144 in a number of areas, including Bengaluru, Tumakuru, Koppal, Davangere and Ramanagara, in the wake of the hijab controversy that has snowballed in the state.
In state capital Bengaluru, prohibitory orders have been imposed around a 200-metre radius of schools and colleges till February 22 to avoid violence around educational institutions. In Koppal, the prohibitory orders will be in force till February 20, in Davangere till February 19, while in Ramanagara, the restrictions will be in force around 100 metres vicinity of schools and colleges.
Mandya, Chamarajnagara and Kalburgi are other places where Section 144 has been imposed. In Tumakuru, prohibitory orders will remain enforced from 6 am on Wednesday until further orders. “The order is applicable in 200 meters of PU colleges, degree and other colleges,” YS Patil, Deputy commissioner, Tumakuru was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Prohibitory orders are already in place in Mysuru. In Udupi, section 144 has been clamped around schools and will be in effect till February 19. Additional women police personnel have been deployed in all police stations in the Udupi district. Besides, eight District Armed Reserve battalions and two Karnataka State Reserve Police Force battalions have also been deployed.
The hijab controversy first broke out in the Udupi district when a group of girls from a government pre-university college was not allowed to attend classes wearing hijab.
Meanwhile, three colleges in Shivamogga will remain shut on Wednesday as Section 144 has been imposed there in the wake of violence last week. The district administration, after a meeting with the management of all the colleges, decided to keep them shut as they had witnessed violent protests last week resulting in police lathi charge. The three colleges are Government First Grade College, Bapujinagar, Government PU College, Meenakshi Bhawan Road, and Government PU College, Sagara.
The police have also imposed prohibitory orders across Shivamogga town till February 19.
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Pre-university and degree colleges are scheduled to open in the state on Wednesday. The state government had earlier extended the closure of degree and diploma colleges till February 16.
Earlier on Tuesday, the hijab row intensified in the state as more than 35 students, who were denied entry into their classrooms for wearing their headscarves, began a demonstration on the school campus in Kodagu district. Similar incidents were reported across the state as students skipped schools and exams or chose to register their protest.
The hijab controversy has started a debate across the country with the Karnataka High Court taking up the matter for hearing, which resumed at 2.45 pm on Tuesday. The matter was, however, adjourned till Wednesday afternoon.
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