Hubballi violence: Families want 'innocent' relatives freed, else they won't vote in May 10 polls
Bengaluru/Hubballi (PTI): A year after 89 persons were arrested for allegedly indulging in violence at Karnataka's Hubballi, families of many of them claim their relatives are 'innocent,' insist they are unable to go through the bail procedures since they are illiterate and that they would boycott the May 10 Assembly polls if the accused "who did nothing wrong" are not released.
In April last year, 89 people were arrested after a mob went on the rampage over a social media post that saw a police station and a Hanuman temple coming under attack. The violence was allegedly triggered following a social media post of a digitally altered image of a saffron flag flying over a mosque.
Some of the families of those who are still in jail claim their children and relatives were 'innocent' and had "no role to play in the violence".
"Most of them who were arrested, were picked up by the police randomly. We are illiterate. We do not know how to apply for bail or approach the court to get our children released," some of the local residents said.
Mumtaz from Nava Anand Nagar in Hubballi, whose son was among the arrested and currently lodged in Kalaburagi jail, said she couldn't meet him in the last one year.
Claiming her son was not guilty, Mumtaz said she will not cast her vote until her ward is released from prison.
"My son used to drive an autorickshaw in Hubbali. The police arrested and took him to Kalaburagi jail and since then, I haven't heard his voice. It has been more than a year now. My son was innocent. I will not cast my vote until my son is released from jail," Mumtaz told PTI.
The incident in Hubballi was the fallout of the alleged social media post, which others objected to and lodged a police complaint. Subsequently, the person who made the post was arrested after a case was registered.
According to the family members of the accused, those who are lodged in the jail had written a letter to their community leaders, urging them to convey their message to the Centre and release them at the earliest.
"Three of my sons got arrested and one of them is in jail for the last 11 months. My children were not guilty in this incident. I will not cast my vote until my son is freed," Shamshad from Nava Anand Nagar said.
She added around 50 people were arrested from Nava Anand Nagar area after the violence.
Speaking about the case, Karnataka ADGP Alok Kumar said granting bail depends on the seriousness of the case and quality of evidence, among others.
"Several of the arrested were charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Granting bail to the accused depends on the seriousness of the case, extent of law and quality of evidence, whether it is on video or pictures," Alok Kumar told PTI.
Mehboobi from Nava Anand Nagar, a widow and the sole earner of the family, claimed her son was not guilty.
"My son was not involved in the violence, yet he was arrested. My husband passed away and I have to take care of the family all by myself," Mehboobi said.
Earlier, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had dismissed the allegations that innocent people were being held in connection with the Hubballi violence and said arrests were made based on evidence.
"No innocent person has been arrested. Based on evidence, people have been arrested," he had said.
Batul from Nava Anand Nagar, whose husband was arrested last year in connection with the violence, also claims he was innocent.
She said she couldn't approach the court for bail as she is illiterate and that she did not receive help from anyone to have a fair trial for her husband.
"My husband was arrested last year after the violence took place in Hubballi. I have two children and run the family by myself. I am illiterate, and hence, I couldn't approach the court for my husband's bail. There was no one to help me out. This is unfair. I will not cast my vote until he is released," Batul told PTI.
Speaking about the mob violence and its aftermath in Hubballi, Human Rights activist Clifton D' Rozario said that as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the case, the provisions make it difficult for people to get bail and the "innocents suffer."
"The Hubballi mob violence case has been taken over by the NIA and under this provision, getting bail is very difficult. Innocents held in such cases suffer. Applying for bail is a right," Rozario said.
When asked about the families who are refusing to cast their votes in Hubballi, Congress candidate (Hubballi-Dharwad Central) Jagadish Shettar claimed he has always coordinated with all communities and ensured peace in the region.
"It is a legal matter but ever since I have been elected here in 1994, I have coordinated with all communities and ensured peace in this area," Shettar told PTI.
Shettar, who quit the BJP recently, was first elected to the state Assembly in 1994 and has won for six times in Hubballi-Dharwad Central constituency.
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Assam mining tragedy: Bodies of 3 more labourers trapped in coal quarry recovered
Guwahati, Jan 11: The bodies of three workers, who were trapped inside a coal mine in Assam's Dima Hasao district, were recovered on Saturday from the quarry during rescue operations, an official said.
Four bodies have so far been recovered with the first one taken out from the mine on Wednesday, he said.
The four deceased labourers were among the nine workers trapped inside the mine in Umrangsu on Monday after a sudden gush of water flooded the quarry.
"The rescue operations resumed this morning and three bodies were recovered as the search for trapped miners entered its sixth day. The body of one labourer, hailing from Nepal, was recovered on January 8," the official said.
One of the three labourers whose bodies were recovered from the mine during the day was identified as 27-year-old Ligen Magar, a resident of village number 1 of Kalamati in Dima Hasao, he said.
The identification of two other bodies is underway, the district official said.
Magar's body was found floating on accumulated water in the mine after the army and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) divers went to bring out the worker, the official said.
"Another body was recovered from the Umrangsu mine a short while ago, marking the third recovery so far. The identification process is currently underway”, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma posted on X.
He said the rescue operations have been continuing with "unwavering resolve".
"Rescue efforts in Umrangsu continue with unwavering resolve. Tragically, another body was recovered this morning...," the chief minister posted on the microblogging site earlier in the day.
''Our hearts go out to the grieving, as we hold on to hope and strength in this difficult time," he added.
Dewatering of the quarry, which is 340 feet deep, was continuing with specialised machines brought in by ONGC and Coal India, the official said.
The chief minister had claimed that the mine was abandoned 12 years ago and was under the Assam Mineral Development Corporation till three years ago.
''It was not an illegal mine but an abandoned one. The workers had entered the mine that day for the first time to extract coal," Sarma said on Friday night.
He said that the leader of the workers has been arrested and the police are conducting investigations into the case.
Speaking on the ongoing rescue operations, Sarma said that dewatering has been continuing since Thursday and so far, 7 metres of water have been pumped out.
''There was water up to 26 metres across four wells. If water is cleared from the wells, we can expect some results'', he said.
Another machine has been brought in from Nagpur and would be operated from Saturday morning, Sarma said, adding that if it functions according to plans, it is expected that the water would be cleared by evening.
On the alleged involvement of a family member of Dima Hasao Autonomous Council's Chief Executive Member Debolal Gorlosa in the incident, the chief minister said, ''This is a human tragedy and we should not politicise it".
