NEW DELHI, India; Police opened fire to disperse thousands of stone-throwing demonstrators protesting school language policy killing four persons and wounding three others Press Trust of India reported today.
The news agency said 37 people ‘were arrested during the violence Friday in two towns of Karnataka’s Belgaum district, 920 miles southwest of New Delhi
Belgaum has been the scene of an ongoing series of protests against a recent state government order that the Kannada language be taught in district schools.
The last death brought to seven numbers of lives lost since the protests began earlier this month. Kannada is the official language of Karnataka state Politicians from Maharashtra last Sunday launched the protests against the language order and have vowed to continue them until the Karnataka government lifts the directive.
Some 5,000 people gathered in Belagundi town for Friday’s pro-test and attempted to stop police from intervening by blocking roads with hewed trees and boulders, the Press Trust said. It said the crowd also lobbed stones at the police.
In Belgaum city, one person was killed: when police fired at stone throwing mobs.
The violence came a day after 20 people were injured when demonstrators clashed with police around Belgaum city and derailed a train.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 30, 1986
