Mangalore:
Authorities in Mangalore are taking no chances ahead of the Ganesha festival and the start of Ramzan. The communally sensitive region has seen five cases of stabbing over the past few days and all commercial establishments have been told to shut down by 8 pm. And as usual, it is the ordinary citizen who is facing problems.
"The government has to find a solution to the problem. Not just by closing shops and establishments, nothing will be solved. Small petty shops start business only after 8pm," said Kamath, a Mangalorean.
"We have fewer customers. If this goes on it will be very difficult for us. People are scared, we don't know what will happen next," Raju, restaurant owner.
The communal divide here is deep and a peace meeting was held by authorities - an acknowledgement of the constant state of unease.
Dakshina Kannada has a higher level of education and prosperity than most other places in Karnataka.
The majority of people here want peace but as often happens, their lives are disrupted by those who try to divide the region on communal lines.