Latest news with #Pumpwell
Time of India
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Congress urges Siddaramaiah to form special team to probe murders in Dakshina Kannada
Bengaluru: In the wake of a series of murders that triggered communal tension in Dakshina Kannada district, Congress working president Manjunath Bhandary, in a letter to chief minister Siddaramaiah, demanded the formation of a special investigation team (SIT) to investigate the incidents. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Bhandary said the SIT should be led by an officer of additional director general of police (ADGP) rank. "Strict legal action against those disrupting peace in coastal districts is necessary, and hence the govt should form an SIT and appoint special prosecutors to handle these cases in court," said Bhandary. He said communal tension has persisted in Dakshina Kannada, with incidents of murder and stabbing being frequently reported over the past few months. He said a few anti-social elements are "inciting communal tensions and making provocative statements and disturbing the peace". "These incidents not only tarnish the reputation of the entire coastal region but also hinder development," said Bhandary. "If not controlled, this communal mindset may spread to other districts. The govt must take this seriously and implement strict legal measures to prevent such incidents in the future." He suggested the home department prevent politicians from the region from making provocative speeches. He said provocative messages, warnings, and threats are circulating on social media, and cases have already been filed against individuals with such mindsets. However, no arrests were made. He said immediate strict action is necessary in such cases and police should keep rowdy-sheeters under special surveillance. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now He said gun licences issued to individuals with criminal backgrounds should be re-evaluated. BJP condemns Pumpwell's arrest State BJP president, BY Vijayendra, condemned the arrest of Sharan Pumpwell, a VHP activist. This arrest, by Mangaluru police, followed Pumpwell's call for a bandh in Dakshina Kannada district in the wake of the murder of Suhas Shetty, a rowdy-sheeter and pro-Hindu activist. "Pumpwell's arrest is highly condemnable," said Vijayendra. "Hindus get no protection when Congress comes to the helm in the state. The govt intimidates pro-Hindu activists through police action and arrests them for trivial reasons, seemingly filing false cases to threaten them."
The Hindu
28-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
VHP leader Sharan Pumpwell arrested in Mangaluru, released on bail
The city police on Tuesday (May 27, 2025), arrested Sharan Pumpwell, joint secretary of South Karnataka wing of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). According to the police, the arrest was made as Mr. Pumpwell had called for a bandh across Dakshina Kannada on May 2, in protest against the murder of Suhas Shetty, a murder accused and a Hindutva activist, near Bajpe on May 1. Mr. Pumpwell also did not appear before police for inquiry in a case registered against him. However, Kishore Kumar, advocate of Mr. Pumpwell told The Hindu that a magistrate released Mr. Pumpwell on bail. 'Following medical examination, Mr. Pumpwell was produced before the jurisdictional magistrate at his home office. The magistrate accepted the bail application and relesed Mr. Pumpwell,' the advocate said. A police release said that the post-mortem of Shetty was conducted at the AJ Hospital in the city in the early hours of May 2. During that night, outside the hospital premises, the VHP leader addressed the media alleging that Shetty was murdered by 'Jihadi Islamic terrorists.' He further claimed that the banned organisation PFI was directly involved. He also announced that the VHP and other Hindu groups would observe a district-wide bandh from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on May 2, asking people to shut down shops, offices, and other establishments in protest. Subsequently, when the public did not respond to the bandh, followers of Mr. Pumpwell, allegedly incited by his statement, created unrest in various parts of Mangaluru. This led to damage to public property, communal tension, and disruption of public peace. A suo moto case was registered in this connection against Pumpwell at Mangaluru East Police Station in Crime No. 75/2025 under Sections 49, 196(1), 324(2), 324(4), 324(5), and 353(2) of the BNS. During the investigation, necessary evidence was collected. The accused was served two notices under the BNSS to appear for an inquiry, but failed to comply and did not cooperate. Therefore, he was taken into custody, interrogated, and is being produced before the court, the release said. Protests outside hospitals Meanwhile, earlier in the day, a group of supporters of Abdul Rehman, who was murdered in Bantwal Rural police station limits on Monday (May 26, 2025), blocked the movement of the vehicle of Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal when the official was moving out of the mortuary of a private hospital in Deralakatte after seeing the body of Rehman. The protestors demanded the arrest of Sharan Pumpwell and other VHP leaders for their inflammatory speeches. A similar protest was held in front of another private hospital in Falnir in Mangaluru, where Kalandar Shafi, who was injured in the attack in Bantwal Rural police station limits, was undergoing treatment.
NDTV
27-05-2025
- NDTV
Hindu Group Leader Arrested For Provocative Remarks In Karnataka
Mangaluru: Mangaluru police on Tuesday arrested Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Sharan Pumpwell for allegedly making provocative remarks and inciting unrest following the murder of Hindutva activist Suhas Shetty earlier this month, officials said. Shetty, a known rowdy-sheeter and Hindutva activist, was murdered on May 1 in the Bajpe police station limits in Mangaluru city. In the early hours of May 2, Pumpwell, addressing the media, alleged involvement of "jihadi Islamic terrorists" in the murder and linked the incident to the banned Popular Front of India (PFI). He also announced a district-wide bandh from 6 am to 6 pm that day, calling on the public to shut shops and offices in protest. However, as the general public did not heed the bandh call, supporters of Pumpwell allegedly resorted to acts of vandalism and disruption in various parts of Mangaluru. According to police, this resulted in damage to public property, disturbance of communal harmony, and a breakdown of public order. The Mangaluru police subsequently registered a suo motu case against Pumpwell under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), a senior police officer said. Investigators said that the accused ignored two summons issued under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and failed to cooperate with the inquiry. He was taken into custody on May 27 and is being produced before a local court, the Mangaluru police said in a statement.
The Hindu
27-04-2025
- General
- The Hindu
VHP objects to Railway Recruitment Board's instructions to remove ‘mangalasutra, religious symbols' to appear for Nursing Superintendent examination
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has objected to Railway Recruitment Board (RRB), Bengaluru, banning 'mangala sutra and religious symbols' to appear for its Nursing Superintendent examination. Sharan Kumar Pumpwell, South Karnataka Joint Secretary, VHP, in a social media post said on Sunday (April 27, 2025) that in the instructions to candidates appearing for the examination, as mentioned in the admission letter, the RRB said that 'bangles, religious symbols, ornaments, mangala sutra' will be among other materials (which have been specified) that 'are not allowed inside the test centre.' In his post Mr. Pumpwell interpreted that 'religious symbols' also included 'janivara' ('sacred thread'). 'Such an anti-religious stand is not tolerable,' Mr. Pumpwell said. The Joint Secretary appealed to Dakshina Kannada MP Captain Brijesh Chowta and Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner M.P. Mullai Muhilan to intervene and allow candidates to appear for the examination without hurting their religious sentiments. The examination in Mangaluru will be held on April 29 at Manel Srinivas Nayak Institute of Management at Bondel, he said. Meanwhile, in a release on Sunday here, the VHP said that students had been made to remove their 'janivara' in the recently held Common Entrance Test (CET) in Karnataka, which had hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus. Now, making Hindu women to remove their 'mangala sutra' and wipe out their 'sindhura', and men to remove their 'janivara' to appear for the RRB's Nursing Superintendent Examination will again hit the religious sentiments of Hindus. Such instructions to candidates is not correct, Mr. Pumpwell said.
