Bhatkal: BJP workers took out a silent march from Shirali to Bhatkal, around 5-km, on Saturday demanding that the state government withdraw robbery cases filed against the party workers, who were arrested in connection with recent Bhatkal violence. Amid tight police security, they took out the march and submitted a memorandum to Governor Vajubhai Vala through the tahsildar in this regard.

Recently, Ramachandra Naik, a vendor, had set himself ablaze fearing vacating of his shop by the Bhatkal town municipal council, and succumbed to burns later. Condemning the incident, the BJP workers and vendors had staged protests and some of them had pelted stones at the TMC office. The protesters also demanded Rs 25 lakh compensation to the kin of Naik.