A small crowd gathered in Sulaga of Belagavi district on Monday evening, after news spread that miscreants set fire to a Kannada flag in the village square.
Some residents noticed that the bottom side of the yellow and red flag was partially burnt. They shared pictures and videos on social media.
Then, some members of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike said that some Marathi-speaking youth had committed the offence.
Meanwhile, Kannada activists led by Sampath Kumar staged a dharna in front of the Sangolli Rayanna statue. They tried to set tyres on fire to vent their anger. The police stopped them.
A team of officers, led by Police Inspector from Kakati Nandishwar Kumbar, also rushed to the village.
And, a police van is stationed there now.
District in-charge Minister Satish Jarkiholi said that the law will take its own course.
“We have asked the police to investigate the case properly and arrest the accused. Even those who try to create divisions by posting messages on social media will face action. No one will be spared,” he said.
Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar that said she has no idea about the incident. “I am surprised that such a thing is happening there. In my experience, both Kananda and Marathi speakers live in harmony in the village,” she said.
