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Mangalore violence by Sangh outfits
The
Milli Gazette Online
13
October 2006
 Baba
Budhangiri and cow slaughter are the two profitable issues in the hands of
the Sangh Parivar in Karnataka these days. It has successfully used these
two issues to fan communal tensions generally in the state and
particularly in the coastal region where it has stronger roots compared to
the rest of the state. Fortunately for the Sangh this time it has a
government of its liking in the state, in which BJP is an important
partner. Naturally, all the evil designs and criminal activities of the
Sangh and its constituents enjoy fullest support and protection from the
present government.
The
trouble in Mangalore started on 4th October 2006 with a bandh
call given jointly by Bajrang Dal and the Hindu Yuva Sena. The reason
stated was a vehicle alleged to be “illegally” carrying cows near
Kudroli, Mangalore which is said to have refused to “obey orders” when
Sangh activists, led by the local Bajrang Dal, unit signaled it to stop.
In
order to ensure the success of the bandh the Sanghis resorted to their
well-known art of rumour-mongering. They spread the word that the said
vehicle which had “refused” to obey their orders to stop had later hit
innocent people including a women causing them severe injuries in its
effort to escape from the hands of chasing Banjrang Dal activists. Most of
the daily newspaper and eveningers, with the exception of Vaartha Bharathi,
helped the Sanghis by carrying these rumours to the nooks and corners of
the region as if it was a confirmed news. This added fuel to the fire and
gave rise to a series of incidents of stone-pelting, attacks on Muslim
houses, mosques and innocent people.
Next
day, Oct. 5, 2006, the Superintendent of Police of Dakshina Kannada
categorically denied the report that any women being injured by a Qualis.
He clarified that no such incident has been reported from Kudroli or any
other area in the region. Not satisfied with this Karavali tale, a
prominent eveninger published a completely fabricated news item that Mr.
Shrishar Bhat who was injured in an attack three days earlier in Jokatte,
died in Hospital. In fact Mr. Shridhar was alive and had fully recovered
from his injuries. This fabricated report provoked more violence in a
volatile atmosphere.
On
October 5th morning Mangaloreans were shocked by this sudden
bandh and many were forced to return home by Bajrang activists.
Stone-pelting by mobs was witnessed at Thokkottu, Suratkal, Nanthur,
Farangipet, Adyar, Kannur, Naguri Chokkabettu and Krishnapura. In Valachil
a group of people pelted stones on a bus coming from Bangalore injuring
four passengers of the bus in the process. A scooter was set on fire near
Kalikamba temple in Mangalore. A group of miscreants with their faces
covered attacked and ransacked Darussalam Mosque and Madrasa in Bajpe and
the people praying there were threatened. In Bantwal taluk of South Canara
district Sornadu, Siddakatte,
Rayi, Koila, Panemangalore, Melkar, Kalladka and Mani observed full bandh
due to fear of violence. In B.C.Road police station area many shops
belonging to Muslims were looted by Bajrang Dal activists while police
acted as mute spectators. Karkala district was forced to observe the bandh,
while the bus service to Udupi district was affected due to the blockade
of National Highway by a mob.
October
6,2006:
Mr.
Promod Mutalik, state secretary of National Hindu Sena and former South
India chief of Bajrang Dal, was arrested at Bababudhangiri in Chikmagalur
during a parallel Dattapeetha campaign against the one sponsored by Sangh
outfits. The National Hindu Sena called for bandh to protest his arrest.
Incidents of stone-pelting, attacks on mosques, bottle-pelting, assaulting
and stabbing were reported from various parts of the district. A joint
delegation by Karnataka Forum for Dignity and Komu Souhardha Vedike
(Communal Harmony Forum) met the State Home minister Mr MP Prakash on Oct.
5 night and 6th morning and the real scenario was brought into
his notice and he was urged to take immediate measures.
Two
Innocents Killed
 On
October 6, 2006, Mr. Abdul Gafoor Madani (Picture left), the Imam
of Bijai Mosque in Mangalore city, was attacked with swords by a team of
Bajrang Dal activists when he was on his way to the mosque after iftar. He
received severe injuries on his neck and kidney. The next day he died in
the hospital. He was the only bread-winner of his poor family which
includes his old parents KT Aboobakar and Bi-Fathima both of whom suffer
from various physical ailments.
 On
October 7, 2006 a group of Bajrang Dal activists attacked an ambulance car
at Polali which is 50 kilometres away from Mangalore city. Mohammed Ashraf,
Iqbal, Rahim, Ibrahim, Haneef, Hameed, Abdulla and Rafeeq from Boliyar
were travelling to Mangalore
airport to drop Mohammed Ashraf who was scheduled to travel to Dubai same
evening by an Air India flight. The Bajrang Dal activists dragged them out
the ambulance vehicle and ordered them to say “Jai Shri Ram”. On not
getting a favourable response, they were attacked with swords. Ibrahim
(see right), who was seriously injured in the attack, died on the
spot. All others were admitted to a hospital where they are still under
treatment.
Families
in distress
Though
the situation in Bunder was completely under control on October 8, and no
untoward incident was reported from the area, Police personnel ransacked
houses without any valid reason as if they were searching criminal
elements. This has created a wave of severe anger among the public.
Here
are a few testimonies of the victims of Police atrocities:
Jameela
:"My husband
Riyaz recently returned to India, quitting his job in Saudi Arabia to
undergo medical treatment for ulcer. At about 12:30 am, when everyone at
home was in deep slumber, we were shocked by a loud knock on the door.
Even before we could open the door, more than a dozen policemen stormed
our house breaking the door. Those policemen used highly abusive words and
threatened to kill us with a sword. We repeatedly requested them not to
hurt my ailing husband but it fell on deaf ears. They caught his collar
and dragged him to the police vehicle. Next day we were made to run from
one police station to another, but failed
to get any information about my husband’s whereabouts. My husband is an
innocent person, who has not hurt a single person until now. Kindly bring
him back home.... please.”
Jameela
Bunder: “On
Monday 12 noon around 20 to 30 policemen stormed into our house, one among
them was Narayan Baindoor. They started damaging our furniture and used
abusive language when we told them that we are fasting. My son Shaukat was
dragged out of the house and taken away. My son has blood cancer and he
needs immediate treatment. Please let me know where he is..?”
Shabulal’s wife Jameela continued to weep.
Such
Police atrocities continued at Bunder Mangalore from Sunday evening to
Monday afternoon.
Some
30 policemen stormed into the house of Abdul Rauf, a local resident,
threatening him in local Tulu language holding a revolver. They arrested
Muhammad Shareef Imran (17) and Abdul Rasheed (21) at mid-night. Police
ransacked the house of Mr. Hassainar and arrested his son Abdul Khader
Naeem (17). Similarly Sarik (25), Hameed (30), Farook (29) and Fairoz (22)
were arrested from their houses during the same time by the police. These
are only a few examples.
Above
all, the Police didn’t even provide the information of the illegally
arrested people to the distressed family members. Inspector General of
Police, Dr. Satyanarayan Rao has said that the department will take action
if it is proved that policemen are guilty.
On
October 9, 2006, Police at Badriya Nagar in Mallur near Mangalore, stormed
many local residences and randomly attacked Aboobakar (35), Aaminamma
(80), Abdul Latheef (26), Zainabi (28), Nazeemullah (42), Abdul Kahader
(30) and Muhammad Salih(29). These innocent victims were unaware of the
reason for this sort of brutal treatment. A victim has identified one of
the attackers as “Keshav”.
Congress
reluctant To Pass Communal Violence Bill: CPI(M)
Mangalore,
Oct. 9:
 The
communal violence Bill is already finalized in order to curb
communal violence and to take severe action against the elements
behind such violence. But the central UPA Govt. is unwilling to table it
before Parliament and pass the bill despite the pressure by the left
parties, says G.N. Nagaraj, the state secretary of CPI(M.). While speaking
to Vaartha Bharathi daily in a hospital where the riot victims were
admitted, he said that the district incharge minister B. Nagaraja
Shetty (pix left), RSS leader Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat and many police
officers including the Superintendent of Police of Dakshina Kannada
district are behind the Mangalore violence. “The Director General of
Police of the state, himself declined the State home minister’s claim
that the banned SIMI (Students Islamic Movement of India) was behind the
Mangalore violence. This shows the irresponsible behaviour of the state
government and home minister,” Mr Nagaraj
stated. Speaking about the opposition parties, he said “Congress being
the main opposition party in Karnataka state has failed to put pressure on
the state government to stop violence in and around Mangalore”.
Nagaraj
urged the state government to immediately launch an investigation into the
role of district incharge minister B. Nagaraj Shetty in the violence and
asked him to resign from the state cabinet.
District
incharge minister behind Mangalore violence: Shriram Reddy
“Dakshina
Kannada district incharge Minister B.Nagaraj Shetty is behind the violence
in and around Mangalore and the atrocities on minorities,” Communist
Party of India (Marxist) leader and member of the state legislative
assembly Mr.Shriram Reddy alleged. He was speaking to Vaartha Bharthi
daily in a hospital in Mangalore during his visit to meet the riot victims
admitted there. He also said that there is no evidence to prove the role
of SIMI in Mangalore violence as stated by the state home minister Mr. MP
Prakash.
“Total
failure of the district administration, district police system, role of
Sangh Parivar, irresponsibility of the superintendent of police and the
active participation of district incharge minister are the reasons for the
Mangalore violence,” Shriram Reddy said.
Destruction
during the Mangalore riots
Police
atrocities in Ullal, near Mangalore
Ullal,
a predominantly Muslim area, witnessed
widespread atrocities by the police personnel who stormed
into houses of innocent Muslims. They terrorised the family
members, arrested innocent youth and literally looted whatever was
available.
On
October 8, 2006, a team of 20 policemen headed by Jayanth Shetty, entered
the house of Mr. Moidin Kunhi at Tibilapadav near Konaje and used highly
abusive words against his family members. They broke the cupboard and
looted Rs. 40,000 kept in it. Before leaving the house the police severely
beat six boys present in the house.
“There
was no tension in our area, nor were there any violent incidents. We do
not know why the police stormed our house without any valid reason,”
said Moidin Kunhi. On October 7, 2006, a team of 15 policemen ransacked
the house of Mr. Moidinabba breaking the main door. They threatened the
women with revolvers and shot at the TV set and destroyed it along with
some other furniture in the house. Police followed the same modus operandi
and ransacked at least 60 houses belonging to innocent Muslims in that
area.
Bajrang
Dal is responsible for Mangalore violence: M. Veerappa Moily
Former
chief minister of Karnataka and the chairman of the Central Administrative
and Reforms Commission Mr. M. Verappa Moily has accused Bajrang Dal and
the failure of the state government as the main reason for the violence
and atrocities against minorities in Mangalore and surrounding areas for
the past one week. He has stated that the Dakshina Kannada District
administration has completely failed to handle the situation. He asked the
Government to fine Bajrang Dal Rupees 300 crores for the loose incurred
during the bandh and subsequent violence.
October
12,2006
Mangalore
and surrounding areas are completely under control except for the
continuing police atrocities reported from here and there. A peace
committee meeting was held at the deputy commissioner’s office on 10th
October. More than 95 people were injured in which at least 75 are
Muslims. A total 225 cases have been registered of which more than 75 per
cent cases are against Muslims. A total 896 people have been arrested so
far. More than 60 per cent of those arrested and in custody are Muslims. (Vaartha
Bharathi)
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