Silvester D’ Souza
Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (EP)
Kundapur, Dec 24: The family members of Harish Bangera, who was arrested by Saudi Arabian police for allegedly sharing a blasphemous Facebook post on Mecca, are in a state of shock.
Harish’s family live in a rented house near Beejady. Living in extreme poverty, they try to make ends meet. The family was overjoyed when Harish was employed as a technician in Saudi Arabia. However, the same joy has turned into tragedy and they are running from pillar to post for help.
“My son is innocent. He has not hurt anybody. Please bring him back,” the mother pleads when media persons went to meet her. Meanwhile, Harish’s wife says that it is impossible that he shared a post insulting Saudi King and on building Ram Mandir in Mecca. “He recently deleted his Facebook account. It is a conspiracy and the real culprit needs to be arrested,” she claims.
According to sources, Harish was identified with pro-Hindu outfits when he lived in Kundapur. He had shared a post that he had received through Facebook, in connection to the recent protests in Mangaluru. As the post went viral, he received several threatening calls in retaliation from Mangaluru and elsewhere. Harish who got afraid, apologized as per his wife’s advice and reportedly deleted his Facebook account. However, it is claimed that another insulting and derogatory post from another Facebook account in the name of Harish Bangera, insulting Saudi King and claiming to build Ram Mandir in Mecca was found posted the next day.
As the post went viral, Harish was arrested in Saudi on Sunday. His family is devastated knowing he is in jail.
Harish’s wife has submitted a complaint to Udupi cyber police station.
Udupi SP’s office has sent a notice to Facebook, asking to provide complete details of both the Facebook accounts. The decision whether the accounts were genuine or not will be based on the report sent by Facebook. “As an Indian is in the custody of police in foreign country, it is necessary to see he is released by setting politics aside,” requested local Congress leader Ashok Poojary Beejady.
Kundapur taluk BJP president Shanker Ankadakatte in his reaction said that the union government should look into the Harish’s release. “We have brought the matter to the notice of MP. The MP has asked to send certain documents. We will also inform minister of foreign affairs about it. The involvement of local people is suspected in the arrest of Harish. Everything will be known after detailed investigations,” he said.