The Karnataka police have arrested six persons belonging to the right-wing outfit Sri Ram Sene for hoisting Pakistan’s national flag on a government building in Bijapur district.

The youths had allegedly hoisted the flag over the tehsildar’s office in Sindgi town on January 1 leading to angry protests by Hindu organisations in the district. A bandh call was issued by various organisations, including Sri Rama Sene and Bajrang Dal in protest against the flag hoisting. Superintendent of police DC Rajappa called the incident a conspiracy by the Sri Rama Sene to create communal disharmony in Sindgi, which has a sizeable Muslim population.

The arrested includes Rajesh Siddaramaiah Matha, 19, the president of Sri Ram Sene’s student wing, the police said. The other accused are Arun Vagmore, Parashu Rama Vagmore, Sunil Madivalappa Agasar, Eshwar Navi, and Mallana Gowda Vijaya Kumar Patil. They are all aged between 18 and 20.

The Karnataka-based outfit was also responsible for attacking women at a pub in Mangalore on January 24, 2009. Denying the allegations, Pramod Mutalik, who heads the outfit, told reporters that Sri Rama Sena has no student wing.