Kannada daily’s office vandalised over Taslima article

BANGALORE - The office of regional daily Kannada Prabha in the coastal Karnataka town of Mangalore was vandalised late Tuesday by a group of masked men protesting the publication of an article based on the writings of Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen, police said.

A petrol bomb thrown at the office caused a minor fire but none of the employees of the Kannada daily were hurt, a police spokesperson told IANS on phone from Mangalore, about 350 km from here.

The masked men entered the office located on the first floor in central Mangalore, damaged computers and furniture and left after threatening the employees against publishing such articles. The staff was not attacked, the spokesperson said.

The attack took place between 9.30 p.m and 10.15 p.m., police said.

Stones were pelted at the offices of an evening Kannada daily also in Mangalore, he said.

The publication of an article on the veil based on the writing of Nasreen by Kannada Prabha on Sunday led to riots in two districts Monday and left two people dead in Shimoga, one in police firing to quell the violence, and another in a mob attack.

A three-day curfew is in force in Shimoga, Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa’s hometown, about 280 km from here. The situation was peaceful in the town Tuesday, according to police.

There was violence in Hassan town also Monday. Police has imposed prohibitory orders banning assembly of five or more persons at a place.

Hassan, about 180 km from here and hometown of Janata Dal-Secular leader H.D. Deve Gowda, was near normal Tuesday, police said in Bangalore.

Police have booked cases against Kannada Prabha and an Urdu daily from Bangalore that Monday published a commentary on the article.

Both the dailies Tuesday published an apology on the front page Tuesday.