Cricket match sparks violence, leaves five injured

MANGALORE: An act of stopping a cricket ball heading towards the boundary at a cricket match sparked off clashes among two communities leaving five injured and five vehicles damaged at Thokur under Surathkal police station limits near here on Sunday. City police authorities rushed a platoon of Karnataka State Reserve Police to the area to prevent the situation from escalating even as police stepped up efforts to nab those behind the incident.

City police chief R Hithendra said the above mentioned incident triggered a spat among youth from two communities leading to stone pelting and violence. Five vehicles including a 407 tempo, a Maruti Omni, an Ape goods carrier, and two motorcycles were damaged in the incident, Hithendra said, adding five of those injured including two from one community and three from another have been admitted in hospitals in Surathkal and the city.

Hithendra said the accused will be nabbed at the earliest and suitable arrangement has been done in the area. While a case of unlawful assembly, rioting, and rioting armed with deadly weapons has been registered in Surathkal police station in connection with this incident, a separate case of mischief causing damage has been registered in Panambur police station in connection with damage to vehicles at Maindaguri following the incident.