Siddaramaiah, supporters held

MYSORE: Senior Congress leader and former Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and 70 others were taken into custody at Jaipura near here on Saturday evening for alleged violation of prohibitory orders.

Protesting the arrest, Congress leaders staged a demonstration in front of the office of Superintendent of Police and District Armed Reserve police headquarters.

Siddaramaiah, a former JDS leader, had gone to Jaipura to lay the foundation stone for a building to upgrade the primary health centre. JDS workers objected to this contending that the Chief Minister had to perform this and Siddaramaiah was violating the protocol.

Following this, Siddaramaiah and his supporters staged a dharna at the spot and police asked Siddaramaiah and others to disperse citing the prohibitory orders in force.

When they refused, they were taken into custody. The supporters of Siddaramaiah angered over this staged a rasta roko and pelted stones on some passing vehicles.

KPCC President Mallikarjun Kharge condemned the police action and said it showed the 'facist tendency' of the government and accused it of trying to 'terrorise' people.