Pics: Abhijith N Kolpe
Daijiworld Media Network- Mangaluru (ANK)

Mangaluru, Jan 21: DYFI women's wing of Mangaluru along with writer and thinker Sara Abubakar on Saturday January 21 held a silent protest rally from Hampankatta circle to police commissioner's office against the rising number of fake astrologers in city.

Addressing media persons, Sara Abubakar said, "In recent times, the coastal region has witnessed a rise in the number of fake astrologers. People get duped by their false promises to cure sexual diseases, sterility, solve financial issues and a variety of such problems.

"Police need to arrest such astrologers who target innocent people, especially women and children who fall in the trap of superstitious beliefs. Fake astrologers extort thousands of rupees. Recently the Karnataka government took a decision to enforce anti-superstition bill but there was a lot of debate and opposition to it," she said.

She urged the government to enforce the anti-superstition bill to make it easy for the police department to arrest fake astrologers.

DYFI women's wing president Pramila K said, "Many such incidents have come to light and recently rationalist Prof Narendra Nayak exposed an astrologer named Pandit Vidya Shankar who claimed to be South India’s most popular and highly experienced astrologer. There are many organizations which run business of extorting money by sexually abusing innocent children and women in the name of curing problems."

She also urged the police department to raid astrology centres and arrest such gangs involving in the racket.

"The advertisements in newspapers related to astrologers, horoscope and TV shows of the astrologers need to be banned," she said.

A memorandum was submitted to police commissioner M Chandrashekar through DCP Sanjeeva Patil demanding stringent action against fake astrologers.