Mangaluru Police directly Responsible for Dec 19 incident- SDPI
Mangaluru: “We will file a case against the police commissioner, DCP Arunagshu Giri, Inspector Shantharam and other police officers in connection with the police firing which claimed two lives and injured 8 others. We have already approached the High court advocates and the process is on. I have met the advocates in Bengaluru”, said the state president of SDPI Ilyas Mohammed Thumbe in a press meet held at Hotel Ocean Pearl here on December 24.
Addressing the mediapersons Ilyas Thumbe said, “On December 19, protesters gathered in front of the DC office. On December 18, the youth had taken permission to hold a protest but on the same evening, section 144 was imposed. In Bengaluru police allowed the protesters to hold a protest and it went on peacefully. In Mangaluru after the lathi-charge, the situation turned violent and the Mangaluru police are directly responsible for the situation to deteriorate. Those who are involved in the firing should be suspended and a judicial probe should be held to provide justice to the victims.”
Ilyas Thumbe further said, “On December 19 the SDPI did not call anyone for the protest. A Muslim organization with the permission of the police organized the protest and later due to section 144 the permission was withdrawn. But many people did not get the message about the cancellation of the protest so they turned up at the DC office for the protest. Now the police have filed cases against Riyaz Farangipet and Shahul S H for forwarding an audio message on social media on the Citizenship Amendment Bill. We will fight for justice and our fight will continue until we get justice”.
Ilyas also said, “The Police commissioner does not know to respect the people. He has also misbehaved with the former minister. If the police would have handled the situation well, two lives would not have been lost. There was no need for lathi-charge, tear gas or firing. The police could have easily controlled 150 to 200 protesters, but now they are filing cases against the protesters and blaming them. In the coming days, we will hold a protest against the NRC and CAB. We don’t need permission to hold the protest, that is our constitutional right. We will intimate the police department about our protest. If we will not get permission also, we will go ahead with our protest”.
District SDPI President Athaulla Jokatte, State committee member Jalil K, District Secretary Iqbal Bellare, Ashraf Manchi, Nurullah Kulai and Munib Bengare were also present.
