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Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
K'taka transfers top DK cops, forms new force to nix communal trouble
Mangaluru/Bengaluru: Following communal tension and a spate of murders in the restive coastal Karnataka, the state govt Thursday night transferred Mangaluru City police commissioner Anupam Agarwal and Dakshina Kannada superintendent of police Yateesh N with immediate effect. The govt issued transfer order hours after announcing the formation of Communal Violence Control Force (CVCF) comprising personnel from Anti-Naxal Force (ANF). The new force will be deployed in Mangaluru, Udupi, and Shivamogga, the three districts witnessing heightened communal tension. The twin near-simultaneous developments follow a wave of resignations announced by ground-level workers of Congress minority wing in Dakshina Kannada over state govt's alleged failure to protect the minorities in coastal Karnataka. Several Muslim functionaries and office-bearers quit, accusing the govt of negligence and failing to safeguard the Muslim community amid recent targeted killings. Sources said the police transfer order was to send out a message that the govt is serious about ensuring law and order and no community should feel it's in jeopardy. The mass resignations were announced during an emergency meeting at Shadi Mahal auditorium in Bolar, Mangaluru, attended by both booth-level workers and senior workers. Party workers stormed the stage, demanding justice for Abdul Rahiman, secretary of Kolathamajalu mosque who was brutally murdered recently. KPCC general secretary MS Mohammed, DK district Congress minority unit president Shahul Hameed and former corporator Abdul Rauf were present at the meeting, which descended into chaos. Emotional scenes unfolded as leaders struggled to calm the agitated crowd. Workers accused the leadership of backtracking after initially deciding to postpone their resignations. Under intense pressure, Suhail Kandak, who was state secretary in Youth Congress, was the first to quit as a member of the party, triggering a chain reaction. Amid uproar, CM Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru issued a stern warning. "We will take action as per law against anyone involved in it irrespective of how influential that person is. No one is above the law. Law alone is above all," he declared. To address the escalating crisis, the government has repurposed part of the ANF, now largely dormant following a decline in Naxal activity in Karnataka. Of the 648 existing posts in the ANF, 248 will be allocated to the new force. The govt order on Thursday said, "The new STF will have three companies and they will be established in Udupi, Shivamogga and Mangaluru districts." According to the order, the Communal Violence Control Force will include an intelligence unit with a technical cell to monitor hate speech and communal activity across media and social platforms. It will also focus on early-warning systems, outreach programmes, and monitoring radicalisation. The DG&IGP will oversee deployment of CVCF personnel during communal riots. The remaining 376 ANF staffers will continue in service for three more years due to intelligence inputs that Maoists may be shifting from Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand to Karnataka's border regions. Home minister G Parameshwara said the Mangaluru murder had forced the government into immediate action. "We will take action without any hesitation. If such incidents keep recurring, we cannot remain silent. We will further tighten the law," he said. He reiterated that Mangaluru, Udupi, and Shivamogga will be treated as sensitive zones. "We will focus more attention on these three districts," he said. "If hatred spreads, what will remain of society? How can people live in such an environment? The government will not stay silent." Parameshwara added that investigations into the Mangaluru murder have revealed disturbing details. "Serious information has come to light, and action will be taken accordingly." He also appealed to political leaders to help restore peace. "If they try to provoke people, how can peace be maintained? I have instructed officials to hold peace meetings with religious leaders," he said.
Hindustan Times
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Bandh over Suhas Shetty murder case, J&K attack in Chikkamagaluru
A bandh called by members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal in Chikkamagaluru district on Monday over the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, and the murder of right-wing activist Suhas Shetty in Mangaluru, received a partial response. To maintain law and order, the district administration imposed section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in Chikkamagaluru city, prohibiting unlawful gatherings. A senior police officer said that no untoward incidents were reported during the bandh. 'The bandh was partial, and the situation remained peaceful across the district,' the officer said, adding that around 20 right-wing activists were detained as a precautionary measure and released later. Several commercial areas in Chikkamagaluru city, including MG Road, Market Road, and IG Road, remained shut, with shop owners voluntarily downing shutters. However, normal life continued in other parts of the district, with towns like Kaduru, Ajjampura, and Tarikere reporting no disruption to commercial activity. While shops and businesses in the city remained largely closed, public transport services, including buses and autorickshaws, operated with reduced frequency. Government offices and educational institutions continued functioning without any reported disruptions. Meanwhile, Mangaluru police commissioner Anupam Agarwal said cases were filed in Kadri and Bantwal police stations after VHP south region leader Sharan Pumpwel, Bajrang Dal leader Bharath Kumdelu, and SDPI leader Riyaz Kadambu reportedly received life threats on social media. 'The cases are being investigated seriously. We have increased vigilance around the concerned leaders,' Agarwal added.
Hans India
02-05-2025
- Hans India
Police Crack Down on Hate Posts, Violence in Wake of Bajpe Murder
Mangaluru: In the aftermath of the communal tension triggered by the murder of a youth in Bajpe on April 27, the Mangaluru City Police have launched a concerted crackdown on provocative social media content and incidents of street violence. According to Police Commissioner Anupam Agarwal, 12 cases have been registered for circulation of inflammatory messages and videos across platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook. The content, some of it livestreamed during the funeral of the deceased, included threats, hate speech, and calls for revenge. Social media handles like 'Kudla Friends', 'beary_royal_nawab', 'hindu_mantra_', and 'ullaltho_makka' are among those under scrutiny. In addition, three criminal cases have been booked in connection with violent incidents reported during the city-wide bandh on April 29. These include stone-pelting on KSRTC and private buses at Karavali Maidan, Kankanady, and Kadri, as well as multiple stabbing incidents — one in Yusufnagar, and others in Tokkottu and Kavoor. All offences have been booked under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, including sections relating to incitement, unlawful assembly, and online provocation. The Commissioner said objectionable posts are being identified and removed, and digital surveillance has been strengthened. 'Legal action will be taken without exception against those spreading hate, either online or on the ground,' he stated, urging the public to maintain calm and refrain from forwarding inflammatory content.
Hans India
02-05-2025
- Hans India
Mangaluru police crack down on fake news Linked to murder
Mangaluru: The city police have initiated legal action against individuals responsible for spreading fake and inflammatory content on social media in the aftermath of the recent murder of a daily wage labourer near Kudupu. Officials say the intent appeared to be to disturb communal harmony. Police Commissioner Anupam Agarwal confirmed that three separate cases have been registered at Konaje, Barke, and Kankanady Town police stations under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. In one instance, a WhatsApp group called 'Beary Muslim Army' shared a false claim that the murder weapon—a bat stump—had been recovered and hinted at the identity of the perpetrators. In another case, a misleading post was uploaded to the Instagram account 'beary-royal-nawab.' In the third case, the police traced provocative messages to a group named 'MaikalloBeary.' Zakir Hussain, a resident of Munnur in Ullal taluk, has been named as the individual responsible. The police have appealed to the public to refrain from sharing unverified content online and have reiterated their commitment to maintaining law and order.
Hindustan Times
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
No Pakistan slogan angle found in mob lynching case in Mangaluru: Top cop
No case has been registered in connection with the alleged pro-Pakistani slogans raised which reportedly resulted in the mob lynching incident on the outskirts of Mangaluru, city's police commissioner Anupam Agarwal said on Thursday, adding that there is no credible evidence to support the claim. 'Since we do not have any concrete evidence that pro-Pakistani slogans were raised, no FIR has been registered in this regard,' Agarwal said, even as political debates intensified over the motive behind the murder of a 38-year-old migrant worker from Kerala during a cricket match in Kudupu on April 27. The man was allegedly assaulted by a mob following a dispute with players and spectators. Three personnel from Mangaluru Rural police station — inspector Shivakumar KR, Head Constable Chandra P, and Constable Yallalinga — were suspended for dereliction of duty after it emerged that they failed to respond to distress calls and did not register a case under appropriate provisions. The suspension of the three officers came after Dakshina Kannada district in-charge minister Dinesh Gundu Rao wrote to home minister G Parameshwara, urging disciplinary action. According to the initial first information report (FIR), the assault was reportedly provoked by slogans perceived to be in support of Pakistan. The victim succumbed to his injuries a day later. The incident was initially booked as an 'unnatural death' despite visible injuries on the victim's body. 'The police officer and constables did not understand the severity of the case and failed to register an FIR under charges of murder. The inspector merely registered a case of unnatural death despite the body having severe wound marks,' Agarwal said. The attack came to light after a resident named Deepak alerted police about a group of people assaulting a man at the cricket ground. However, the call failed to elicit an adequate response. The victim remained unidentified for two days until the post-mortem confirmed death due to homicidal injuries, prompting police to reclassify the case as murder. The case has since been registered under Section 103(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which deals with murder committed by a group of five or more persons. The main accused, identified as Sachin from Kudupu, is in police custody. 'If proved, the accused, either individually or as a group, can face life imprisonment or even the death penalty,' said Agarwal. The incident took a political turn, with Mangaluru North MLA Y Bharat Shetty alleging that the man was attacked for raising pro-Pakistan slogans and accusing opposition leaders of politicising the matter. 'This is a crime; don't do politics in it,' he said. 'They have accused BJP workers of murder while tying religion and caste to the case.' Police, however, have not linked the accused to any political outfit. Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) Mangaluru unit president Jaleel Krishnapura dismissed the pro-Pakistan slogan claim as false. 'The state home minister, G Parameshwara, should resign from his post for saying chanting pro-Pak slogans led to murder,' he said. Chief minister Siddaramaiah condemned the killing on Wednesday and said: 'Raising pro-Pakistan slogans is sedition and it's an offence.' At the same time, he confirmed the arrest of 23 people in connection with the case and promised strict action against the accused.
