Police enforce Section 30 as Shivaji statue relocation triggers tension in Hindupur

Tension prevailed at Hindupur in Sri Sathya Sai district on Thursday after a section of residents lodged a complaint at I-Town police station, alleging that provocative slogans were raised during the relocation of a statue of Maratha king Shivaji.

Following the sudden development, the police imposed Section 30 of the Police Act in the town, warning of stringent action against violations, amid heightened vigilance to prevent any untoward incidents.

The promulgation of the Police Act restricts public gatherings, rallies, and processions without prior permission. Superintendent of Police (SP) S. Satish Kumar ordered the deployment of 200 police personnel in Hindupur to de-escalate tension and for security reasons at all arterial junctions.

Additional SP Ankit Surana rushed to Hindupur and convened a meeting with elders of both communities, urging them to keep youngsters under control and counsel them against impulsive actions that could disturb public order. She said that police would show zero tolerance towards attempts to inflame communal sentiments, particularly through social media.

Meanwhile, Deputy SP (Hindupur) K.V. Mahesh inspected several arterial junctions in Hindupur and interacted with the community leaders. He cautioned that posting or circulating content that incites religious hatred or spreads misinformation online would attract strict legal action, irrespective of intent.