Tension prevailed in Bhatkal town for some time on Saturday after a group of youths stopped a vehicle carrying 15 oxen to Bhatkal from Hubli alleging that it was being “illegally transported”. There was a clash between the occupants of the vehicle and the youths. On a complaint from the youths, the police arrested the driver of the vehicle and two other occupants fled. When the news about the incident spread, around 300 people gheraoed the Bhatkal police station and demanded the arrest of the youths who, they said, had attacked people who were transporting oxen to Bhatkal for Bakrid festival.
