Karnataka police have issued notices to a group of youths for waving religious flags after climbing onto freedom fighter Rani Abbakka’s statue in Mangaluru here, police said on Tuesday.

Holding green flags, the youths had climbed the statue at the Veera Rani Abbakka Circle in Mangaluru when the Eid Milad procession was being taken out on September 28.

The video of the incident had gone viral on social media and created outrage.

Jurisdictional Ullal police, taking a serious note of the incident, has collected the video footage.

They identified the youths and sent them a police notice to appear before the investigating officer.

Notably, hundreds of youths had climbed on the statue during the procession and allegedly behaved in a disrespectful manner.

They had also blocked the road and honked continuously causing a nuisance to the public, police said.

Since Mangaluru is a communally sensitive city, the police immediately swung to action and identified the youths from Manjanadi, Madaka, Bantwal, Belthangady, Deralakatte, Konaje and Ullal in Dakshina Kannada district.

The curfew orders have been clamped in Shivamogga City following the incident of stone pelting during the Eid Milad procession.

More than 40 people have been arrested in this regard.

(The story has been published via a syndicated feed with a modified headline.)