Bhatkal remained under heavy security after tension over the alleged overnight demolition of a rebuilt Murinakatte religious platform at Jagate Katte in Karnataka’s Uttara Kannada district drew sharp reactions from Hindu organisations and forced authorities to impose prohibitory orders.
The dispute centres on a small religious platform, also described locally as a Moori Katte, which had earlier been removed during National Highway widening works. Hindu activists rebuilt the structure on Sunday morning, saying it had long-standing religious significance and should be restored at the same site. By Sunday night, a crowd had gathered near the spot and allegedly damaged or attempted to remove the reconstructed platform, triggering unrest in a communally sensitive town.
Police said the structure stood on land linked to National Highway authorities, a factor that has complicated claims over its reconstruction. Members of another community had objected to the rebuilding and demanded its removal, arguing that no unauthorised structure should be allowed at the disputed location. The confrontation soon drew a larger crowd, prompting police deployment to prevent escalation.
Four cases have been registered in connection with the episode. They include allegations of blocking vehicles on the highway, assaulting police personnel, causing injury to members of the public, and spreading false information or provocative content through social media. Police have begun identifying those accused of attacking personnel during the late-night disturbance, while patrols have been intensified across sensitive pockets.
Uttara Kannada Superintendent of Police Deepan M N said the situation had been brought under control and sufficient forces had been placed on the ground. Nine Karnataka State Reserve Police platoons, six District Armed Reserve units and more than 300 officers and personnel from within and outside the district have been deployed for bandobast duty. Special Action Force units have also been stationed as a precautionary measure.
Prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita have been imposed in Bhatkal town and adjoining Jali Town Panchayat limits until May 27. Public announcements have warned residents against gatherings, processions and acts that could disturb public order. Officials have also appealed to people not to share unverified messages, videos or claims on social media.
District in-charge minister Mankal Vaidya, who represents the Bhatkal Assembly constituency, appealed for calm and said authorities were working to set up a peace committee. He described the flare-up as an unexpected incident that moved quickly towards confrontation before police intervention restored order. A peace meeting is expected to be convened during the week to engage community representatives and reduce mistrust.
Hindu groups including Bajrang Dal, Hindu Yuva Vedike and Hindu Jagarana Samithi have condemned the alleged demolition and demanded strict action against those involved. Their representatives have argued that the platform carried religious value and that its removal during road expansion had left a grievance unresolved for years. The groups have also criticised the alleged attack on police personnel and pressed for arrests.
The administration is facing the difficult task of balancing religious sentiment, highway land rules and public order in a town with a record of communal sensitivity. Bhatkal, a coastal trading centre with mixed communities, has witnessed sporadic tensions in the past over symbols, public spaces and local political mobilisation. That history has made police response faster and more visible whenever disputes take on a communal colour.
The Murinakatte issue has also exposed the risks posed by informal religious structures on public or infrastructure land. Road widening, urban expansion and local faith practices often collide in densely populated towns, especially when no clear settlement is reached on relocation, reconstruction or compensation. Once such disputes become identity-linked, administrative delays can turn into flashpoints.
