Nagamangala, 13 Sept

A police inspector has been suspended for dereliction of duty while three more people have been taken into custody in connection with the violence during a Ganesh idol immersion procession at Nagamangala in Mandya district.

The situation in the town, where clashes broke out between two groups following which mobs went on a rampage targeting shops and vehicles leading to tension on Wednesday night, has returned to normal, police said on Friday.

Though the situation remains peaceful, additional police forces continued to be deployed in the town, where prohibitory orders banning assembly of more than four people have been imposed till Saturday as a precautionary measure.

With the fresh arrests, the total number of people held in the case now stands at 55. Those 52 people who were initially arrested have been sent to judicial custody for 14 days, police officials said. As many as 18 FIRs have been registered in connection with the incident, police said. A team of forensic and fingerprint experts visited the crime scenes and collected the evidence for using petrol bombs to torch shops and vehicles.

Police Inspector Ashok Kumar posted at Nagamangala town police station was suspended on Thursday evening for dereliction of duty in connection with the clashes that broke out during the procession, Mandya Superintendent of Police, Mallikarjun Baldandi said.

"(A Police) Inspector has been suspended, as he had slightly altered the given route (of the procession). It is his responsibility. We had told police staff and officials across the State that if any incidents take place in their respective jurisdiction they will be held responsible," Home Minister G Parameshwara said in Bengaluru.

Meanwhile, around 40 people from Vishwa Hindu Parishad, who were carrying the Ganesha idol, were detained by City police after they tried to stage a protest in front of Town Hall in Bengaluru over the Nagamangala violence on Friday.  -Salar News with Agencies