Mangaluru: Frequent communal clashes and murders witnessed in Dakshina Kannada district despite prohibitory orders in force for more than a month mirror dismal policing by officers in uniform as well as their inability to track down those who triggered communal strife in the past in this sensitive region.
Since May 26, Bantwal in Dakshina Kannada district has witnessed several communal clashes with prohibitory orders not proving a deterrent for those stirring tension between Hindus and Muslims. "Communal tension, clash and attacks are nothing new but the many failures on the part of police officers seems to have led to the current situation," Jayanth V Shetty, retired Superintendent of Police (Intelligence), told Deccan Chronicle, adding "Several cases of the past related to communal attack or creating communal tension are still hanging fire. Many of the accused are still walking free despite cases being booked and non bailable warrants (NBWs) issued. Such inaction will make communal elements confident that they can walk free despite indulging in communal clashes. If NBWs were properly executed and the accused were put behind bars for some time, there would have been fear about the police and judiciary."
He also felt that police officers should have taken enough precautionary measures than search for a solution now. Effective policing was the need of the hour than the number of policemen and officials. Official sources said the accused in several cases were not yet been arrested. "For example about 10 accused in Sukhanand Shetty murder case (in 2006) have not been arrested yet," sources added.
DYFI state president Muneer Katipalla too alleged that old communal cases were not investigated properly due to which communal elements have turned fearless. "In past 10-12 years there have been about nine communal hate murders in the region between Gurupur and Benjanapadau in Bantwal taluk, but these cases have not been properly investigated. Instead of nabbing the kingpin, police arrest only those who execute the crime,” he said.
What was the intel wing doing: HDK
State JD (S) president H.D. Kumaraswamy invited leaders of both national parties-Congress and BJP-to join a peace march proposed in Mangaluru shortly for restoration of communal harmony in coastal districts, in particular areas around the coastal city.
Lambasting both these parties over communal tension in Bantwal and other towns, he told the media here on Tuesday that leaders of both these parties were trying to gain political mileage at the cost of communal disharmony. For two months, Hindus and Muslims in B C Road area were living under constant fear. Tension was mounting in the region during the month of Ramadan. The issue was debated even in the Legislative Assembly. Chief Minister Mr Siddaramaiah, however, found time to chair a meeting with top police officers only on Monday. “What is the intelligence department, which has to brief the Chief Minister over such developments, doing all these days? The Intelligence IGP had sought permission for sending me to jail. Do they have an intelligence IGP to look into state issues or send me to jail?'' Mr Kumaraswamy asked.
Shobha wants NIA office in Mangaluru
With the BJP declaring that extremists groups were behind the killing of RSS worker Sharath Bantwal, Udupi-Chikamagaluru MP, Shobha Karandlaje urged Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to set up a National Investigation Agency (NIA) office at Mangaluru.
Ms Karandlaje has written a letter to Mr Singh stating that the opening of an NIA office in Mangaluru, would help sleuths of NIA monitor the movements of suspected jehadi elements not only in and around Mangaluru but also in the entire coastal region in Karnataka.
According to police officials in Dakshina Kannada district, jehadi elements are arriving in Mangaluru from Kerala via Kasargod. “I think the NIA needs to keep an eye on these elements,” Shobha said in the letter.
Senior BJP leader Suresh Kumar alleged that the state government was involved in the communal rift in Dakshina Kannada. He said, "Just like how people from Kerala were involved in the clash related to Tipu Jayanthi in Kodagu, here also, people from Kerala have a hand in the Dakshina Kannada trouble.”
