Surathkal Moral Policing Case: Five arrested Bajrang Dal activists secure bail
Public disgruntled over police inaction
Mangaluru: The five accused who were arrested by the police for obstructing the vehicle of Medical students travelling together and attempting an assault on them near Surathkal Toll-gate on Sunday, have reportedly secured bail. The general public has expressed displeasure over the developments and the way the police department has handled the case.
Medical student of Deralakatte’s K.S. Hegde Medical College, a resident of Kollam in Kerala, Savio T. Alphonso (20) had gone for a day trip to Malpe and Manipal with his classmates Vijay and Shameela in his Jeep on September 26, Sunday, and were returning when some miscreants stopped their Jeep near the Surathkal Tollgate and began threatening and abusing them.
Reportedly, MBBS student at the Deralakatte’s K.S. Hegde Medical College, a resident of Kollam in Kerala, Savio T. Alphonso (20) had gone for a day trip to Malpe and Manipal with his classmates Vijay and Shameela in his Jeep on September 26, Sunday, and were returning when some miscreants stopped their Jeep near the Surathkal Tollgate and began threatening and abusing them.
Soon, the atmosphere of fear took over as the right-wing goons started interrogating the students about their names, addresses, all the while using profanities against them. The episode is said to have created confusion in the area garnering attention.
Police Inspector Shareef who was passing through the spot had tried to protect the students and prevented an assault from being carried on them, it is learned. The victimized Medical student Savio T. Alphonso registered a complaint at the Surathkal Police station regarding the attempted assault.
When the video of the incident went viral across social media platforms, the police department swung into action and arrested five people including Bajrang Dal’s District Leader Pritham Shetty, along with Bajrang Dal Surathkal Chapter’s leader Arshith, and other members of the outfit Shrinivas, Rakesh, and Abhishek, on Monday night.
After registering an FIR against the arrested accused under Section 341, 323, 504, they were reportedly let off by the police from the police station.
City’s Police Commissioner while speaking about the incident said he personally met the victim students and condemned the incident adding that such activities bring a bad reputation to the city.
“Concerning Sunday’s incident, I have personally visited the victims and conducted a meeting with them. Inspector Shareef, who was passing through the route saw the incident and prevented it from escalating. A case has been registered against the accused of stopping the vehicle, using profanities against the victims, and attempting an assault on them. Such instances of taking the law into one’s hands must not occur. This brings bad name to the city as well,” he told media reporters.
Inspector Shareef, who intervened in the incident while he was passing through the road added that he had performed his duty on the spot and the Surathkal Police had later taken over the proceedings of the case.
“Currently, I am not an inspector with the Surathkal station. I am posted as the inspector of the North Traffic Station in Mangaluru. While I was traveling on the National Highway at Surathkal, I noticed a gang obstructing a Jeep and saw a crowd had gathered around them. Immediately I approached the scene and tried to stop an assault from taking place. I have performed my duty as a police officer. Thereafter, the Surathkal Police arrived at the scene and undertook appropriate measures.
Several local organizations and NGOs, have jumped into the matter and have criticized the police inaction in the case adding that the police department has failed to adequately handle the case.
The state president of DYFI, Muneer Katipalla has demanded that the sections under which the accused have been booked must be changed and stricter sections must be pressed against them before arresting them again in the case.
He also called out the police department adding that the incident took place in the presence of a police officer and that the accused should have been arrested much earlier rather than arresting them after the video of the incident went viral.
“This is not the first time that such powers have displayed thuggish behavior in Dakshina Kannada District. Several instances of hooliganism have occurred even in the past. However, the incident that occurred the day before yesterday has taken place in the presence of a police officer itself. Therefore, the police must immediately arrest the accused who have resorted to hooliganism” he said.
“The fact that the accused were arrested by the police after the video of the incident became viral and later granted bail at the station is a shocking, yet shameful matter. This incident is a clear testimony to the rotting order of law and weakened state of the police in the district. I am also being plagued by the doubt that whether the police have submitted themselves before such religious outfits. Immediately, the police must change the weak sections imposed on the accused and charge them under stricter sections to ascertain they do not secure bail and re-arrest them” he further added.
SDPI General Secretary of Dakshina Kannada District Shahul SH, also criticized the police department alleging that the department was discriminatory while filing charges in cases like these. He referred to the case of moral policing in Bengaluru where the accused were charged under stricter sections and were later arrested under non-bailable offences.
“In the recent case of moral policing that occurred in Bengaluru, the police which arrested the accused charged them under Sections 153 (a), 506. 341, 34, 504, 323, registered non-bailable charges and sent them to prison. Similarly, in an assault case that occurred in Kavur, after being pressurized by the Sangh Parivar, the police took special interest and arrested two youngsters from their hospital beds while they were seeking in-patient treatment in the hospital, and charged them under section 307 citing attempted murder and put them in prison” he said.
“With regards to the incident in Bengaluru, the Chief Minister and Home Minister posted a tweet stating that they won’t provide the opportunity for such instances to occur in the state. However, when the Sangh Parivar hooligans resorted to moral policing the innocent students on Sunday, in the presence of the police, the police arrested them and charged them with Sections 342, 504, 506 which has provisions to secure their bail in the station itself. Although the three cases are similar in nature, what is the reason behind the police department’s display of such discriminatory practices? Why has the police department failed to take strict actions against the Sangh Parivar thugs when they carried out their unlawful act in the presence of the police? Under whose pressure is the police acting submissive? Are the cases being registered based on the religion of the accused? Is the police also providing support and encouragement to the hooliganism of the Sangh Parivar?” he further added.
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Bengaluru: Four arrested for housebreaking, threats, extortion; fake PSI among accused
Bengaluru: Vidyaranyapura police have arrested four persons, including a man posing as a Police Sub-Inspector (PSI), for allegedly breaking into a house, threatening the occupants, and extorting money while wearing police uniforms.
The arrested accused have been identified as Mallikarjuna, Pramod, Vinay, and Hrithik.
Police said the accused had hatched a plan to pose as police personnel, conduct fake raids, and extort money from residents by intimidation.
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According to the police, Mallikarjuna had failed the PSI examination twice and later falsely projected himself as a PSI. He allegedly conducted photo shoots in his hometown, Siraguppa, wearing a police uniform, baton, cap, and shoes, claiming to be serving as a PSI in Bengaluru.
On December 7, the four accused allegedly went to the house of Naveen in the Vidyaranyapura limits, threatened him with a stick and an iron rod, and claimed they had information that he was selling ganja. Under the pretext of searching, they allegedly extorted ₹87,000 through bank transfer, ₹53,000 in cash kept in the house, and ₹2,000 from his wallet.
Following Naveen’s complaint, Vidyaranyapura police registered a case and launched an operation, leading to the arrest of all four accused. Police have seized ₹45,000 in cash and the car used to commit the crime.
Further investigation is underway.
