BJP Karnataka Chief Yeddyurappa, Other Leaders Detained At 'Mangaluru Chalo' Rally

Former Karnataka chief minister and Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) state chief BS Yeddyurappa along with other senior party leaders have reportedly been detained in Mangaluru during their march 'Mangaluru Chalo' to the district collectorate.

The youth wing of the saffron party carried out a motorcycle rally 'Mangalore Chalo' in Karnataka's Mangaluru to protest the alleged killings of the Hindu activists in the coastal districts of the state.

"Let's go to the DC office. If the police says we will arrest you, ask them for a warrant. Yeddyurappa is here, do not worry," former deputy chief minister R Ashoka told the BJP workers just minutes before they were detained by cops, reported NDTV.

The Mangaluru police had allowed the party to protest at the Nehru Maidan between 11 am and 2 pm today, but had prohibited the bike rally or a procession in the city. 

The Mangaluru Police Commissioner had earlier on Thursday said that the force would not allow the BJP Yuva Morcha to carry out a bike rally in the city and that they will arrest those who ignore the police order.

"We will not allow the rally. We will prevent them from going ahead; if they carry out rally from here, we will arrest them," T.R. Suresh, the Mangaluru Police Commissioner was quoted as saying to ANI.

The rally that began from the Freedom Park in capital Bengaluru on September 5, reached Mangaluru today.

The Karnataka police, earlier on September 5, arrested more than 300 BJP workers to stop them from converging in Mangaluru to carry out the 'Mangalore Chalo' rally.

The saffron party workers, who participated in the rally, were detained by the police before the protest even began.