Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (ANK)
Mangaluru, May 28: In the wake of trouble at Kalladka following the stabbing of a youth by three assailants, RSS leader Dr Kalladka Prabhkar Bhat on Sunday May 28 alleged that the police have falsely implicated three youths of the majority community and that the issued had been needlessly communalised and politicised.
Mohammed Hashir, son of Yusuf, a resident of Kalladka, was stabbed by a group of three when he and two others were returning home from the mosque after Friday prayers. The accused have been identified as Mithun, Amit and Yathin. Following the incident, a bandh was enforced in Kalladka and stone-pelting was reported. The police have imposed a week-long Section 144 in Bantwal taluk.
Addressing a press meet here, Prabhakar Bhat said, "Kalladka is a Muslim-dominated area. On May 26 when Yathin was driving to Puttur, some 7 or 8 Muslim youths waylaid his vehicle and abused him badly. This ultimately triggered clashes between two groups belonging to different religions. The local police know the truth, and despite that, they have fabricated the case saying that Mithun and his two friends stabbed Hashir and registered a case against them. This issue has been politicised. There is no safety for the Hindu community."
Asserting that the incident at Kalladka was not communal, he said, "When two groups quarrel, it cannot be termed as communal, so stop labelling this as communal, as it disturbs the society. This was never a communal issue. Mithun and his two friends are innocent as they tried to protect Yathin from the Muslim youths who attacked him.
Condemning the forced bandh in Kalladka, he said, "Some Muslim goons called for forcible bandh in Kalladka. How will ordinary people live and run their business in such situations? When some goons forcibly close down businesses and transport, it affects people and creates lots of disturbance in society. The local police should have given protection to the people residing in Kalladka. What was the neccesity for the bandh and clamping of Section 144?
"The goons who have called for bandh are involved in several cases, and among them are Jaffer, Jaleel, Nasir and many more. I strongly condemn the bandh which was forced by the goons," he declared.
"This issue is being needlessly politicised. When some Muslim youth is stabbed, every politician becomes alert but when a Hindu gets stabbed, no politician stands in favour of the victim. It would be better if they treated both communities equally.
"Recently, Muslims were involved in pelting stones at the police commissoner's office, a doctor was assaulted in a hospital, and even a police was assaulted at Ladyhill. How can ordinary people live in peace and harmony in society when goons are frequently involved in such cases?
"This issue needs to be investigated so that truth will be revealed," Prabhakar Bhat added.
Sharan Pumpwell, Padmanabh Kottari, Bharath and others were present.