Karnataka Hijab Row: Security Forces Carry Out Flag Marches In 3 Towns

The security forces went on rounds in three towns in Karnataka as tensions simmer amid the row over Muslim students' demand for wearing hijab on college campus and classrooms. The police went on flag marches in Udupi, Chitradurga and Doddaballapura.

The flag march to maintain law and order comes a day after the Karnataka High Court said it would resume hearing petitions challenging the hijab restrictions on Monday. The high court in its interim order today said no religious attire, whether shawls or hijab, will be allowed inside educational institutions.

Schools and colleges were shut down earlier this week in an escalating row over the hijab restrictions in class. The protests that began against a hijab ban in one government-run college in Udupi spread to many other institutions where girls wearing hijabs were not allowed entry. As saffron scarf-wearing students launched counter protests, violence at one college forced the police to fire teargas to control the flare-up.

The Supreme Court today rejected an urgent hearing on the hijab row, saying it "will interfere only at an appropriate time." A girl in Karnataka had approached the Supreme Court on the matter.

The student in her appeal to the Supreme Court said practical exams will start on February 15 and "any interference on students' access to educational institutions will impede their education".

An incident from Karnataka's Davanagere also added to tensions on the ground today, sources have said. A Hindu man was thrashed by a group of Muslim men over a social media post. Dileep Malagimane, who was injured in the attack, is being treated in a hospital, the police said, adding a case has been filed and four people have been arrested.

The police said the group attacked him over his social media posts that they found inappropriate and hurt sentiments.