Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal (SP)

Bantwal, Aug 17: Police personnel of the town station here furnished a CD containing video footage of disturbances during the funeral procession of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activist, Sharath Madiwala, to the high court (HC) on Wednesday August 16.

The officials had clamped prohibitory orders in four taluks of the district taking into account the law and order situation in the region then. In violation of this order, funeral procession of Sharath, who was slain by a few youngsters believed to be guided by communal passion, had been arranged. Relating to this incident, the police had booked Hindu leaders, Harish Punja, Muralikrishna Hasantadka, Sharan Pumpwell, and Pradeep Kumar, charging them with illegal assembly in violation of prohibitory orders, disturbing law and order situation and causing loss to public property. These leaders had sought quashing of the first information report registered against them, through a petition filed in the HC.

When the petition came up for hearing last week, the judge had observed that objections had not been filed to the petition on behalf of the government, and had ordered for producing proof by way of CD containing scenes of disturbance in the high court. The prosecution had said that the petitioners had uttered provocative words against people belonging to another community, which rresulted in disturbances and pelting of stones, and that the petitioners were present on the occasion. It was also claimed that inspector of the town station here and police staff, who were present at the spot, had also captured the proceedings on video.

Justice Aravind Kumar, who presided over the bench which took up the said petition, accepted the CD handed over by the public prosecutor on behalf of the police. The judge said that he would watch the CD in his office and then continue hearing the petition. Accordingly, he adjourned hearing to Thursday.