Mangaluru, Dec 14: Alleging that the police department had showed discrimination against the minorities in the recent Ulaibettu clash and unrest, the district unit of Popular Front of India has urged for the state government's intervention in this regard.
Speaking to mediapersons at a press conference here, PFI district A M Ataullah alleged that the police had failed to control the communal clashes and also provide protection to minorities.
Condemning the incidents that sparked a major clash among the locals belonging to two communities at Ulaibettu, he alleged that the clash started when devotees in a vehicles and two motorbikes began provoking members of the Muslim community by using derogatory words while passing through the area and also throwing stones at a roadside store owned by a Muslim. However, the retaliation by Muslims and attacks on the devotees should also be condemned, he said, noting that the clashes should not have taken place.
Questioning the discriminatory policy of the police, he said that the police had raided 18 homes belonging to Muslims while saffron organisations had raided six homes targeting Muslims. After taking 29 Muslims into custody, the police had then released four Imams and two local Congress leaders from custody. A minor accused was released from judicial custody. The police have not registered an FIR filed by Muslim women in connection with assaults on them by the police. Although a case has been filed against six local Hindutva leaders under IPC Section 353 in connection with assaulting the police during a protest march following the clash, the accused have not been arrested by the police. This is discrimination by the police, he alleged.
PFI district committee member Haneef Katipalla, Abdul Majeed, Aboobaker Vamanjoor and Abdul Khader were present in the press conference.
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