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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BJP to resolve decades-old Gorkha issue within 6 months of forming govt in Bengal: Shah
Kurseong (WB) (PTI): Seeking to strike an emotional chord with the politically crucial hill electorate, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday promised that the BJP would resolve the decades-old Gorkha issue within six months if the BJP comes to power in West Bengal.
He said no party other than the BJP could find a solution acceptable to the Gorkhas.
Addressing a rally at Kurseong in Darjeeling district, Shah said the BJP understands the concerns and aspirations of the Gorkhas and would work towards a settlement on their terms.
"Within six months of the BJP forming the government in West Bengal, every Gorkha will have a smile on his face. We will find such a solution to the Gorkha issue that Gorkhas can live in peace," he said.
The Gorkha issue refers to the century-old demand for a separate state in the Gorkha-majority hill districts of north Bengal, although Shah did not utter the words 'Gorkhaland' or 'statehood' in his speech.
Instead, echoing the BJP's long-standing promise of a "permanent political solution" to the hill question, Shah said the issue would be resolved in accordance with the aspirations of the Gorkhas.
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"I am leaving today after promising you that as soon as the BJP government is formed, the decades-old Gorkha issue will be resolved according to the Gorkhas' terms," he said.
The BJP, which has won the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat in every election since 2009, has consistently promised a permanent political solution to the hill issue without committing itself to a separate state.
The home minister accused the Mamata Banerjee government of refusing to engage with efforts to resolve the issue and said that after becoming home minister, he had convened three meetings on the matter.
"After becoming home minister, I convened three major meetings to resolve the Gorkha issue, but not even once did a representative from Mamata's side attend," Shah said.
"Mamata Didi, we are not dependent on you for a solution to the Gorkha issue. We have appointed an interlocutor who is preparing a report by engaging with Gorkha organisations here and officials of the West Bengal government," he added.
Claiming that the BJP alone understands the concerns of the hill residents, Shah said, "We understand you and your problems. No one except the BJP can resolve the Gorkha issue."
The home minister alleged that the Congress and the TMC had betrayed the people of the hills for decades.
"The Congress and the TMC have done injustice not only to Darjeeling but also to our patriotic Gorkha brothers," he said.
Seeking to broaden the BJP's pitch beyond the Gorkha issue, Shah sought to portray the election as a battle to free north Bengal and the hills from what he called years of neglect and injustice under the TMC rule.
"This election is to free the entire West Bengal from TMC's crimes. In a way, it is an election to gain freedom from the injustice happening for decades in north Bengal and Darjeeling," he said.
Referring to the Sandeshkhali controversy, Shah said, "The whole of West Bengal has decided that it is time for Didi to step down. This election is about protecting our sisters across the state. The Sandeshkhali incident has brought shame to the state."
The BJP leader told the gathering that while Darjeeling had repeatedly backed the BJP, the party needed support from the rest of West Bengal this time.
"For three elections, Darjeeling has been voting for the BJP anyway, but the rest of West Bengal did not provide as much support. But this time, the whole of West Bengal has made up its mind that it's time to oust Didi," he said.
Shah also raised the issue of Gorkhas' names being allegedly deleted from the electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
"The names of some Gorkhas were deleted during SIR. Once the BJP government is formed in West Bengal, all such names will be included in the electoral rolls again," he said.
He further alleged that hundreds of false cases had been slapped on Gorkha activists and promised that these would be withdrawn if the BJP formed the government.
"They have filed hundreds of false cases against our Gorkha brothers and sisters. The results will come out on May 4, and a BJP government will be formed on May 5. Before July 31, the BJP government in West Bengal will withdraw all cases against Gorkha brothers and sisters," Shah said.
The home minister also attacked the Mamata Banerjee government over budgetary allocations for the tribals.
"For tribal development, for Adivasis, for the hills, and for north Bengal, the Mamata government's total budget is Rs 2,000 crore. But for Muslims and madrasas, the Mamata government's budget is Rs 5,800 crore. This injustice will not last much longer," he said.
The demand for Gorkhaland and greater political autonomy for the Darjeeling hills has remained one of the most enduring and emotive political issues in north Bengal, often shaping electoral outcomes in the region.
Successive agitations -- from the Subhash Ghising-led GNLF movement in the 1980s to the later stir spearheaded by Bimal Gurung and the GJM, have repeatedly convulsed the hills.
Yet, despite the BJP's rise in Darjeeling and its continued dominance in the Lok Sabha seat since 2009, the party has so far stopped short of endorsing a separate state as it would have an adverse impact on south Bengal, preferring instead to speak of a "permanent political solution".
