Bantwal: Hundreds barge into SDPI office, damage property, assault four

Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (SP)

Bantwal, May 27: A gang comprising hundreds of people raided the B C Road- Kaikmaba office of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) here on the evening of Sunday May 26. The members of the gang, who beat up four persons, also damaged the bus stand erected by SDPI for the benefit of the general public.

Issac (32) from Kalladka, Azaruddin Fairoze (26), and Jabbar (26) from Bolantoor, as well as Riaz (22) from Shantiangady were admitted into hospitals with injuries. Issac, who suffered serious head injuries, was admitted into a private hospital in Mangalore.

The gang also tore down flex boards and other things found at the office. It is learnt that three members of the raiding gang also got admitted into the hospital. Bantwal police circle inspector, Anil S Kulkarni, with help of a local police contingent, ensured that the situation turned normal.

It is said that the above incident was retaliatory in nature, related to an earlier incident in which a gang of unknown people, who had hired an auto rickshaw owned by a Congress activist named Adam Palla on May 23, had fled after assaulting him near Volavoor. The Bantwal police, who investigated the incident, had interrogated an SDPI activist in this connection.

Luqman, youth Congress general secretary of the local unit, claims that his party had come to know that an incident in which chilli powder was sprayed on some Congress activists four days ago, was the handiwork of SDPI activists. He added that when a SDPI informant was handed over to the police relating to this incident, some SDPI workers had protested, and that the locals had then joined together in driving away these people.

Akbar Ali, SDPI district general secretary, said that the incident had roots in incidents in which SDPI activists were derided by Congress workers. He said SDPI workers are also threatened by Congress workers of harassing them with the support of Congress government.

“Ten activists of SDPI, who had participated in a marriage function today, were mocked at. When they questioned this behaviour, they were assaulted and SDPI office also was targeted. This is politics of vengeance. Success and failure are part of life. I sincerely advice the concerned to shed hate politics,” he commented.