Only preventive action on Surathkal toll gate protesters, says police commissioner
Mangaluru, Oct 16: The Mangaluru city police on Sunday clarified that certain preventive proceedings have been carried out on some individuals in the light of some provocative statements made by them ahead of the proposed siege' of the toll gate at Surathkal on October 18.
The clarification comes in the wake of criticism about the late-night operation by the police on Saturday by serving notices to activists demanding the removal of the toll gate.
City police commissioner N Shashi Kumar said some major participants of the agitation have been served notices. They are asked to appear before the deputy commissioner of police (DCP) who is an executive magistrate under 107 CrPc, he said.
"Privacy of every individual is to be respected and more so for women. I have asked ACP North Mahesh Kumar to enquire into the issue and submit a report to me," he said.
Kumar said Mangaluru police have always facilitated every democratic and peaceful protest or agitation of any individual organisations or party.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Prathibha Kulai, whose house was also visited by the police at midnight, lashed out at the district administration and the BJP for the police action.
In a Facebook post, she said it is a shame and disgrace that the administration is trying to crush the agitation planned for October 18.
"I respect the law of the land. Last night at 11.45 pm, five police personnel of Surathkal station landed at my home in Kulai which has been captured on a CCTV camera. My 74-year-old mother-in-law was terrified to see the police behaviour," she said, adding that the notice was not taken as she was not at home.
"I am a social worker and not a terrorist. Can anyone come knocking on the door of a house at midnight to serve notice to a woman?" she wrote in the post.
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Dense fog keeps visibility low in Delhi, air quality 'very poor'
New Delhi (PTI): Early morning visibility was low in parts of the national capital on Friday due to a thick layer of smog and haze, with mercury levels settling at 9 degree Celsius.
Delhi's air remained in the 'very poor' category, with the 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) settling at 382, edging closer to the 'severe' category.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board's SAMEER app, out of 40 air quality monitoring stations across the city, 14 recorded severe air quality while 26 were in the very poor category. Vivek Vihar recorded the worst air quality with an AQI of 434, the data showed.
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As per the Central Pollution Control Board's classification, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered good, 51 to 100 satisfactory, 101 to 200 moderate, 201 to 300 poor, 301 to 400 very poor and 401 to 500 severe.
The Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi has forecast that air quality is likely to remain in the 'very poor' category till Saturday and deteriorate to 'severe' on Sunday.
Several parts of the national capital were seen enveloped in dense smog during the early morning hours, leading to reduced visibility.
According to the India Meteorological Department, the minimum temperature settled at 9 degrees Celsius, while relative humidity stood at 100 per cent.
The maximum temperature is expected to hover around 21 degrees Celsius, with dense fog likely to persist through the day.
Meanwhile, the ban on the entry of non-Delhi private vehicles below BS-VI emission standards and enforcement of the 'No PUC, No Fuel' rule came into force in the national capital on Thursday as authorities stepped up measures to tackle worsening air pollution.
Fuel pumps are not dispensing fuel to vehicles without valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates, with enforcement being carried out using automatic number plate reader cameras, voice alerts at fuel stations and police support.
