Mangaluru: PFI activists protest against "Police brutality" in Uppinangady
Mangaluru: Protesting the lathi-charge by police at Uppinangady on Tuesday, the District Committee of Popular Front of India (PFI) organized a protest in Mangaluru on Friday.
Although the City Police Commissioner had denied permission for the ‘Walk to SP’s Office’ or the rally, the PFI activists went ahead with their event and walked from Hampankatte to the Clock Tower, it is learned.
Reportedly, the protesters were stopped by the police near the clock Tower. PFI leaders then appealed for them to be allowed to walk to the SP’s office and also stated that the Uppinangady police had indulged in police brutality and protested through sit-in demonstrations demanding justice concerning the issue.
District SP Rishikesh Sonawane arrived at the protest site and received the petition from the protesters. The SP then addressed the gathering assuring that investigations and appropriate action would be undertaken in the case. The Mangaluru Police Commissioner Shashikumar also arrived at the site and took cognizance of their appeal.
SDPI Leader Shafi Bellare addressed the gathering and said, “This is a people’s movement against the Uppinangady police who displayed their cruelty. If innocents are subjected to oppression, such struggles too will continue. Police themselves make claims that the batons/ lathis of police do not have any religion or creed. However, the several incidents that have occurred in the district indicate that the batons/lathis of the district police have a religion, creed, and political affiliation”, he said.
Questioning the police, he asked, “Why haven’t the police taken any action against the Sangh Parivar’s leaders who insulted the SI by threatening to beat him and disregarded the District Commissioner? Why have you been silent when Trishul/Tridents were being distributed openly?” he emphasized.
Shafi Bellare also demanded that a sitting judge must investigate to determine how many police personnel within the district police force possess a Sanghi mindset.
“The police must withdraw the false cases registered by them. The guilty police personnel must be suspended, and the government must compensate the injured in the hospitals by taking over their medical expense”, the PFI listed their demands before the government.
PFI Leaders A. K. Ashraf, Ijaz Ahmed, Ayyub Agnadi, Corporator Muneeb Bengre, SDPI National Leader Alphonso Franko, and SDPI District President Abubakker Kulai led the protest.
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Epstein files vanish from US Justice Department website hours after release
Washington: Several documents linked to late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein disappeared from the US Justice Department’s public website within a day of being uploaded, triggering political reactions and renewed demands for transparency.
At least 16 files that appeared online on Friday were no longer accessible by Saturday. Among the missing material was an image that included a photograph showing US President Donald Trump with Epstein, Melania Trump and Ghislaine Maxwell. The image was part of a larger photograph depicting framed pictures placed on furniture and inside drawers, alongside images of artwork featuring nude women.
The Justice Department has not clarified whether the files were removed intentionally or due to an error. No official explanation has been issued and a department spokesperson did not respond to media queries.
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee drew attention to the missing Trump image in a post on X. They asked what else might have been removed and called for public accountability.
According to an India Today report, the document release, which ran into thousands of pages, included references to several prominent individuals, including former US President Bill Clinton. Notably, Trump’s name appeared rarely in the written records, despite earlier disclosures that had linked him to Epstein socially. Trump has denied any involvement in Epstein’s crimes and has not been accused of wrongdoing.
His absence from much of the newly released material stood out, particularly because his name appeared in Epstein’s private jet flight logs made public by the Justice Department earlier this year.
Several documents which were expected by survivors and lawmakers did not feature in the release. These included FBI interviews with victims and internal Justice Department records explaining why Epstein was not federally prosecuted in the mid-2000s, when he instead secured a plea deal on lesser state charges.
Other figures long associated with Epstein, including Britain’s former Prince Andrew, were also mentioned sparingly, leading to further questions about the scope of scrutiny applied.
The released files did include some new elements, such as a 1996 complaint accusing Epstein of stealing photographs of children and documents outlining how federal prosecutors retreated from pursuing sex trafficking charges. However, much of the material consisted of photographs of Epstein’s properties in New York and the US Virgin Islands, along with scattered images involving celebrities and political figures.
Many of the documents were heavily redacted or provided little context. One file labelled “Grand Jury-NY,” running 119 pages, was entirely blacked out. Prosecutors have acknowledged that millions of pages of records exist from investigations into Epstein and Maxwell, far more than what has been made public so far.
