Police stop Shiv Sena activists from entering Belagavi at Maharashtra border

Shiv Sena activists, who were en route to Belagavi to partake in the black day event organized by the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) to mark Karnataka's formation day, were prevented entry by the police at the border between the two states on Wednesday. They were stopped at Kognoli check post in Nippani taluk on the Pune-Bengaluru national highway here, police said. 
 
The police reported that approximately 30 Shiv Sena activists, led by Kolhapur district President Vijay Devane, were intercepted at the border as they attempted to enter Belagavi and were subsequently transferred to the custody of Kolhapur Police. The Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES), which has been advocating for the inclusion of multiple Marathi-speaking regions and villages into Maharashtra, traditionally observes 'Karnataka Rajyotsava' day as a black day every year.

Belagavi administration had on Tuesday banned three Maharashtra ministers and an MP from entering this border district citing maintenance of law and order, as they are expected to participate in the black day event, foreseeing the chances of them making provocative speeches during the visit, also Kannada activists could gherao them, and it could result in clashes with MES activists.

Maharashtra Ministers Shambhuraje Desai, Chandrakant Patil, Deepak Kesarkar and MP Dhairyasheel Mane were expected to attend the MES event, official sources said. MES had recently met Maharashtra Chief Minister Ekanath Shinde at Kolhapur, seeking his support on the boundary issue and requesting that he send representatives to take part in the MES event.