Bengaluru:  Karnataka Police have arrested 30 people on Saturday in connection with the desecration of freedom fighter Sangolli Rayanna and Maratha King Shivaji Maharaj statues in Belagavi and Bengaluru respectively. 

According to reports, unidentified miscreants disfigured a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji by painting it black in Sadashivanagar in Bengaluru on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday. 

The incident led to tension in Belagavi as members of pro-Hindu organisations protested at Dharmaveer Sambhaji Maharaj Circle. 

"Few people gathered at Sambhaji Circle last night, demanding strict action on the desecration of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Bengaluru, yesterday [Friday]. We assured an investigation but they attacked police officials, vandalized private and government vehicles,"  Belagavi DCP Vikram Amte told news agency ANI. 

Following the incident in Bengaluru, a few miscreants vandalised the Sangolli Rayanna statue last night in Belagavi city, 510 KM from the capital Bengaluru. 

"Later another case was registered when a few miscreants vandalised the Sangolli Rayanna statue last night. After the investigation, we've arrested a total of 27 people till now from both cases," said DCP Vikram Amte.

As tensions flared up in both cities, a prohibitory order has been extended under Sec 144 CRPC from 6 AM on December  19 to 6 AM on December 20 in Belagavi.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai called in the incidents as an attempt to divide people on linguistic lines and create disharmony in the state.  

Bommai said, "Shivaji Maharaj and Sangolli Rayanna, both are freedom fighters and our idols. I respect and follow them. Some anti-social elements are trying to create disturbance and divide people in terms of language and other things."