Surathkal: More Muslim youths booked after Hindu Jagarana Vedike protest

Mangaluru, Feb 4: In the wake of Hindu Jagarana Vedike’s protest demanding stringent action against those belonging to a particular community after a recent communal clash in Suarthkal, the police have booked cases against 23 Muslim youths from the locality.

A day after Monday night’s clash in Surathkal’s Janata Colony, that left at least six people injured, the police had nabbed five persons belonging to two different communities.

However, on Tuesday night, activists of HJV staged a demonstration in front of the Surathkal police station urging police to arrest more Muslim youths and invoke harsh sections of the Indian Penal Code against them and not to arrest Hindus.

Bowing down to the pressure, the Surathkal police reportedly booked cases against 23 others, all belonging to Muslim community, under IPC section 307.

Local residents have accused the police of filing cases against innocent Muslim youths including those who had returned home on Monday night after their work.

The exact reason for Monday’s clash is not yet known, as the different versions of tales by the injured residents of Janata Colony has paved way for suspicions.

One of the injured claimed that they were assaulted by a Muslim group because local Hindus had objected the construction of a mosque in Janata Colony. Another injured said that the reason behind the attack was that a few local Hindus had created awareness against ganja. A few others suspected that the attack might be the continued part of a clash that took place last Saturday between a few Muslim youths and local resident Christine Mascarenhas over latter’s goat.

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Surathkal: Six injured in attack; Claims of victims lead to confusion