Prohibitory orders extended in Maddur, security beefed up amid call for bandh

Prohibitory orders were extended and security was beefed up in Maddur of Mandya district even as the bandh called by right-wing organisations elicited a mixed response in the trouble-hit town on Tuesday (September 9, 2025).

Even though some shops had downed their shutters voluntarily in response to the bandh called to condemn the lathi-charge by police against the people, who were marching on Monday (September 8, 2025) to protest the pelting of stones during the Ganesha idol immersion procession the previous night, several business establishments in other parts carried on with their commercial activities. Movement of people and traffic on the roads remained thin, but buses and autos plied as usual in the town.

Security tightened

Amid the uneasy calm that prevailed in the town, Superintendent of Mandya district police Mallikarjun Baladandi, said authorities had ordered the closure of liquor shops in Maddur till September 10, 2025, while extending the prohibitory orders and beefing up security in the town. Police personnel have been deployed across the town and patrolling has been stepped up, particularly in sensitive areas, to ensure a close vigil against any attempt by miscreants to disturb peace.

About 800 police personnel led by four officials of the rank of Superintendent of Police, three officials of the rank of Additional Superintendent of Police, besides fifteen Deputy Superintendents and thirty Inspectors of Police were manning the town, Mr. Baladandi said.

Also, about fifteen platoons of Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) and ten platoons of District Armed Reserve (DAR) had also been deployed, he said.

Accused in judicial custody

Of the 26 persons who were identified for their alleged involvement in pelting stones at the Ganesha procession on the night of September 7, 2025, the police had arrested 22 of them and handed them over to judicial custody.

The police, which is looking for the remaining four accused, will shortly take the arrested accused into police custody for interrogation. During the questioning, the police will explore if they were instigated by anybody.

Mr. Baladandi said the police was also monitoring footage from a number of CCTV cameras to check the movement of people.

Police to probe and submit report to CM

It may be mentioned here that a large number of people turned up for a protest called by BJP and its frontal organizations on Monday (September 8) to condemn the pelting of stones on a Ganesha procession in Ram Rahim Nagar in Maddur on Sunday (September 7) night.

A number of JD(S) leaders including party’s youth wing president Nikhil Kumaraswamy and former MLAs D.C. Thammanna and Annadani had also participated in the protest march on September 8.

Meanwhile, Minister in-charge of Mandya district N. Cheluvarayaswamy, visited the troubled spot in Maddur on September 8 evening and gathered information from the officials.

A team of senior police officials will inquire into the incident and prepare a report that will be submitted to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at the earliest, he said.

Mr. Cheluvarayaswamy is scheduled to preside over a peace meeting at Padmavathi Kalyana Mantapa near Shivapura Satyagraha Soudha in Maddur on September 9. Deputy Commissioner Kumar, who was also in Maddur, held discussions with senior police officials on the security arrangements in the town.