Chikkamagaluru, 17 Feb 

Tension gripped the Vijayapura area of Chikkamagaluru late Monday night following allegations of stone-pelting, triggering protests by members of two communities and heavy police deployment.

Allegations surfaced that some youths from a community had pelted stones at houses over the past week and harassed girls for the last three days, leading to outrage among local residents, police said.

According to police sources, two youths who were found moving in a suspicious manner were caught by activists of an organisation, beaten up and later handed over to the police.

Soon after, hundreds of youths from both communities gathered in front of the Basavanahalli Police Station and the government hospital, creating a tense atmosphere.

While one group claimed they were not involved in stone-pelting, another group demanded strict action against those responsible for the attacks on houses and alleged harassment.

Police, who were alerted in advance, rushed to the spot and dispersed the crowd.

Authorities said they struggled for some time before bringing the situation under control. Tight security was in place across the city.

Meanwhile, the two injured youths are undergoing treatment at the government hospital.