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The Wire
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Wire
Karnataka Govt to Constitute Special Action Force in Three Districts to Tackle Communal Incidents
Menu हिंदी తెలుగు اردو Home Politics Economy World Security Law Science Society Culture Editor's Pick Opinion Support independent journalism. Donate Now Government Karnataka Govt to Constitute Special Action Force in Three Districts to Tackle Communal Incidents The Wire Staff 12 minutes ago The special action force will be established in Dakshina Kannada, Shivamogga and Udupi districts and will have three companies. Representative image of Karnataka police. Photo: PTI Real journalism holds power accountable Since 2015, The Wire has done just that. But we can continue only with your support. Contribute now New Delhi: Following the orders of the Karnataka government, a special action force will be constituted to tackle communal incidents, comprising personnel from the anti-Naxal force. The special action force will be established in Dakshina Kannada, Shivamogga and Udupi districts and will have three companies, reported Deccan Herald. The decision to constitute the special action force was taken after the murder of Abdul Rahim in Dakshina Kannada earlier this week. The police have arrested three people – Deepak (21), Prithviraj (21) and Chintan (19) – all residents of Bantwal taluk for the murder. According to Dakshina Kannada SP Yatish N. Deepak had contacted Rahim over phone, asked him to supply sand, and later, when he was unloading the sand he was attacked by the accused who were armed with swords. Earlier this month, the district had also witnessed the murder of Hindu activist and history-sheeter Suhas Shetty. According to the order issued by the Karnataka government on May 28, 248 personnel, including a senior deputy inspector general of police (DIGP) rank officer, will be a part of this force. The role of the special action force will include having an intelligence unit comprising a technical cell for collecting and monitoring media and social media along with intelligence about hate speech, inflammatory incidents and communal incidents. It will also create an early warning system through surveillance and human intelligence on potential communal violence, will undertake confidence-building measures through area dominance exercises and take measures to identify and monitor radicalisation. The special action force will also take steps to deploy officers/personnel by the zonal IGP in cases of communal violence. 'The order has been issued to immediately set up and enforce the special action force. Necessary help and aid will be provided and needed steps will be taken by the Director General and Inspector General of Police (DG & IGP). The three districts are considered very sensitive. Anyone who incites communal violence won't be spared, and action will be initiated against them as per the law,' said Karnataka home minister G. Parameshwara on Thursday (May 29). Make a contribution to Independent Journalism Related News Karnataka Temple Trust Issues Apology to Muslims After BJP MLA's Inflammatory Speech Those Opposing Caste Survey in Karnataka are Among the Most Socially Advanced Communities in the State Karnataka BJP Leader Asks DC 'If She is From Pakistan', Booked For Inciting Hatred Against Muslims The Politics of 'Heart Lamp' Is Profound, Urgent and Reflects the Lived Reality of Millions Unexpected Fallout of Op Sindoor Has Been Tilt in Pakistan's Military Balance Toward Its Air Force MP: How Media Trial of a Rape Case in Bhopal Fuelled Communal Hate Chhattisgarh: Christian Family Hounded by Hindutva Mob, Forced Into Hiding; Police Refuses FIR Political Rent-seeking of Armed Forces is Detrimental to Democracy Petition in Madhya Pradesh HC Over Communal Coverage of Rape Case in Bhopal About Us Contact Us Support Us © Copyright. All Rights Reserved.
Hans India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Murder of Labourer Triggers Political Turmoil and Outrage in Coastal Karnataka
Mangaluru: The murder of Abdul Rahim, a daily wage labourer in Bantwal taluk of Dakshina Kannada district, has sparked widespread outrage, triggering political resignations, accusations of communal targeting, and calls for urgent government action. Rahim, who was hacked to death earlier this week, was described by community leaders as an innocent man known for his secular values. A father and a peace-loving citizen, Rahim served as the General Secretary of his local mohalla committee and was an active member of the Sunni Students Federation of South India (SKSSF). He was reportedly attacked alongside another youth, who survived with serious injuries. Speaking at a press conference in Mangaluru, SKSSF State General Secretary Anees Kousari condemned the killing as a consequence of rising hate speech and unchecked communalism. 'This brutal act is not just a crime, it's a chilling message to the working-class people who live peacefully across communities,' he said. The organisation warned of widespread protests if the perpetrators and hate speech propagators are not swiftly arrested. The SKSSF also demanded ₹50 lakh in compensation for Rahim's family and announced plans to honour his memory with blood donation drives at 100 centres and interfaith prayer meetings across 300 branches in the district. Echoing similar concerns, the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) alleged that right-wing groups were responsible for the murder. At a separate press briefing, SDPI State Committee member Riyaz Kadambu criticised the silence of senior political leaders and questioned the government's apparent apathy. 'The DGP has not visited the district. Muslim MLAs have not spoken out. And the Chief Minister has yet to issue a statement,' he said. Kadambu also questioned Congress leader Dinesh Gundu Rao's comments suggesting the murder was due to personal enmity, saying it undermines the gravity of the situation. Adding to the political fallout, several Muslim leaders from the Congress party tendered their resignations during an emergency meeting at Shadi Mahal in Bolar on Thursday. M.S. Mohammad, State General Secretary of the Minority Cell; K. Abdul Rauf, District Vice-President; and former mayor K. Ashraf were among the prominent figures who stepped down, citing the state's failure to curb communal violence and its neglect of the Muslim community's concerns. Shahul Hameed, President of the Minority Cell, informed that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had sought a week's time to respond to their grievances. However, party leaders said continued inaction had eroded trust, prompting them to resign. Reports suggest mass resignations were submitted by Congress minority office-bearers at all levels. The situation has heightened communal tensions in the region, long considered a sensitive belt in Karnataka's coastal landscape. Activists and political observers warn that unless decisive steps are taken to uphold justice and ensure security for all communities, the consequences could be grave.
Hans India
5 days ago
- Hans India
Tension grips Dakshina Kannada after youth's murder
Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada district in Karnataka remained on edge for the second consecutive day on Wednesday following the brutal murder of a Muslim youth, Abdul Rahim, in Bantwal taluk. The incident has sparked communal tension, triggered retaliatory violence, and prompted widespread security measures including the imposition of prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarika Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) across the district. Abdul Rahim, also known as Imtiyaz, a 35-year-old pick-up truck driver, was hacked to death near Ira-Kodi on Monday evening, allegedly by a group of assailants while unloading sand. His murder, widely shared and discussed on social media, is being seen in some quarters as a retaliatory act linked to the earlier killing of Suhas Shetty, a Hindu youth, in Bajpe on May 1. Prohibitory orders under BNSS Section 163 have been imposed for three days in the taluks of Bantwal, Belthangady, Puttur, Sullia, and Kadaba, beginning Tuesday evening. Similar restrictions were also extended across Mangaluru city by Police Commissioner Anupam Agarwal, covering 17 police stations. Large gatherings, protests, and processions have been banned till 6 pm on May 30 as a precautionary measure. Funeral draws thousands, stone-pelting reported On Wednesday, Rahim's body was taken in a funeral procession from his residence in Kolthamajalu to a nearby burial ground. According to police estimates, the procession drew over 20,000 people. Tensions flared en route as some participants reportedly forced shop closures. A two-wheeler showroom in Bantwal was vandalised after its staff allegedly refused to shut down; glass panes were shattered, and threats were issued, police said. Sporadic incidents of stone-pelting on private buses were reported in Surathkal and other pockets. Additional security forces have been deployed in Bantwal, Gurupura, Bajpe, Kaikamba and sensitive parts of the district to prevent escalation. Arrests and investigation Police have registered a case at Bantwal Rural Police Station, naming Deepak and Sumeet as prime accused in the FIR. Five special teams have been formed under the leadership of Superintendent of Police N Yathish to fast-track the investigation. These teams are working in coordination with Mangaluru's City Crime Branch (CCB) to identify and apprehend all those involved. To bolster security, personnel from Udupi and Chikkamagaluru have been requisitioned and stationed at strategic locations across Dakshina Kannada. Arrest of Hindu outfit leader adds to tension In a parallel development, Mangaluru police on Tuesday arrested Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Sharan Pumpwell in connection with a case filed against him for inciting communal unrest following the murder of Suhas Shetty. Pumpwell had earlier accused 'jihadi Islamic terrorists' of the killing and called for a bandh on May 2, during which his followers allegedly indulged in vandalism. Police stated that Pumpwell had ignored two summons under BNSS and failed to cooperate with the investigation. Though arrested based on a 20-day-old FIR, he was granted bail late Tuesday night by a magistrate at his Bondel residence, triggering protests by right-wing supporters who accused the authorities of selective enforcement. Political reactions Addressing the media outside Yenepoya Hospital where Rahim's autopsy was conducted, SDPI district president Anwar Sadath claimed the killing was politically motivated and demanded the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT). 'He was lured to the site on the pretext of work and killed. There were open threats made on social media after Shetty's murder, and despite 45 FIRs, very few arrests have been made,' he alleged. District in-charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao condemned the incident and said he had spoken to the Home Minister and senior police officials. 'The exact motive is still under investigation,' he said in a post on social media platform X.
Mint
7 days ago
- Mint
Karnataka news: Bike-borne duo kills 1, injures another with sword in Mangaluru; prohibitory orders issued—details here
A man was killed while another was seriously wounded after two youths attacked them with a sword in Irakodi area of Bantwal taluk in Karnataka's Mangaluru district on Tuesday. The deceased has been identified as Abdul Rahim. The violent incident has sparked communal tensions in the region, prompting authorities to impose prohibitory orders from Tuesday evening to May 30. According to Superintendent of Police, N Yathish, the incident took place at Kuriyala when Abdul Rahim was unloading sand at a site along with his helper, when two youths arrived on a motorcycle with sharp weapons and attacked the duo. Both were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment, where Rahim was declared dead on arrival. The motive behind the attack is not clear yet. The police visited the crime scene and launched a probe to identify and apprehend the attackers, who fled the scene immediately after the assault. Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, who is the district in-charge Minister of Dakshina Kannada, said the killing of a person named Rahim near Kolathamajalu in Mangaluru is "condemnable". 'I have already spoken to Home Minister Shri @DrParameshwara, @DgpKarnataka and Law and Order ADGP in this regard,' Rao said. Suspecting that the incident was part of a sinister design to disrupt peace in Dakshina Kannada district, the minister said: 'I have given strict instructions to the district administration to maintain law and order in the district. I appeal to the people not to listen to any rumours.' The authorities are working to ensure swift action and maintain order in the area. The attack comes close on the heels of Hindutva activist Suhas Shetty's murder on May 1 in Mangaluru, the district headquarters of Dakshina Kannada. A total of 11people were arrested in connection with the Shetty murder. Shetty, a known rowdy sheeter and Hindutva activist, was murdered by a group on May 1 within the Bajpe police station limits in Mangaluru City.
The Hindu
7 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Rahim gets 20-year RI in murder case; likely to be released next year
Abdul Rahim, a native of Kodampuzha in Kozhikode, who has been imprisoned in Saudi Arabia for the past 19 years over murder charge, has been sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment by the Riyadh Criminal Court. However, since he has already completed 19 years in jail, he is likely to be released in December 2026. It was in 2006 that Mr. Rahim was imprisoned and sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia for the murder of the 14-year-old differently abled son of his employer. Though Mr. Rahim claimed that it was an accident, his words had no weight against that of his employer. The efforts to get him released from jail started quite recently. The turning point in the case arose when the Malayali diaspora across the globe succeeded in raising ₹35 crore, the blood money the victim's family had demanded, in one of the biggest crowdfunding efforts in the State, in May 2024. The family of the victim agreed to cancel the death sentence after receiving the money. However, since Saudi law addresses crimes as offences against society, Rahim was also tried under the Public Rights Act. After 13 court sessions over nine months, the final verdict was made on May 26. Rahim, his legal counsel, officials of the Indian embassy, and Siddique Thuvvoor, who represented his family, had attended the final session.
