The Karnataka coalition crisis took a stunning turn today as senior Congress leader DK Shivakumar was stopped from entering the five-star hotel in Mumbai where rebel lawmakers are staying, after they wrote to the police for protection from him. "We cannot allow you to enter because of the letter," a Mumbai police officer was heard saying during an argument with Mr Shivakumar, who insisted he had booked a room in the Renaissance hotel and could not be stopped from entering it.