Mangalore tense, curfew relaxed in Shimoga

Tension prevailed in parts of Mangalore while calm prevailed in Shimoga town on Wednesday which witnessed violent protests over an article purportedly written by Bangladeshi writer Tasleema Nasreen

Unidentified persons had thrown a petrol bomb on the office of Kannada Prabha, a prominent Kannada daily which had carried the translated version of Nasreen's purported article in its Sunday edition, besides stoning a local English eveninger here last night.

Authorities have imposed prohibitory orders in the city and posted police pickets at all sensitive areas, besides deploying additional forces. No untoward incident has been reported so far since last night, police said.

Meanwhile, residents of Shimoga heaved a sigh of relief after authorities relaxed curfew in the morning to facilitate purchase of essential goods. Shimoga, the home district of Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa, has been under curfew since two days after protests over publication of Nasreen's article on the burqa tradition led to violence, claiming two lives, including one in police firing.

The district administration has ordered closure of schools and colleges for the second consecutive day today as a precautionary measure.