Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, May 24: A young man was arrested by the police on charge of publishing material in social websites which has the potential of disturbing communal harmony.

The arrested man has been identified as Mithun K B (28) from Koyinadu near Madikeri. He has been produced in the court.

A two-wheeler had hit a bus driven by Rajendra A B at Nettanige Mudnooru Golithadi on May 20. The two-wheeler had fallen to the road, injuring its rider. It was said when the conductor of the said bus, identified as Nagaraja K, was waiting for vehicle to transport the injured to the hospital, allegedly residents of Galimukha village, Munaf, Nizad, and two others had abused the conductor, attacked him, and thrashed and kicked him. It was said that one of the accused, Munaf, had also posed death threat.

After a case was registered about this incident in the rural police station here, the police had taken into custody Munaf and Nizad, both from Kasargod as well as Shahul Hameed, resident of Nettanige Mudnooru, from Galimukha on May 22. At the same time, it came to the notice of the police that WhatsApp messages claiming to be breaking news with inflammatory titles like 'religious bigots from Golithadi get wild at Galimukha', 'Hindu Jagarana Vedike activist from Ishwaramangala, Nagaraja Kallaje, becomes victim of deadly communal attack - hospitalized' etc were circulating in the area. The police had registered case relating to these messages.

After putting together information, accused Mithun K B was arrested on May 22. The police clarified that the locals had got angry at the bus conductor and attacked him, as they were upset at the delay on the part of the bus conductor and driver in admitting the injured person into the hospital and not with any other purpose.