Mohan Kuthar
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Feb 15: A groups of women who opposed the use of loudspeakers in a Madrasa were allegedly assaulted by about 21 persons at Subhashnagar under Ullal police station limits on the night of Saturday February 14.

In retaliation, another group also assaulted a woman. Following the incidents, three women have been admitted to a private hospital in Deralakatte, and cases have been filed against 28 persons.

It is learnt that on Saturday night, local women, identified as Baby, Kishori, Geeta and Shashikala Naik went to the house of Anjuman Mablagul Falah Madrasa committee president Hameed to complain that the Madrasa was illegally using loudspeakers and that locals walking past the area at night were troubled by groups assembling near the Madrasa.

In response, Madrasa committee president Hameed allegedly behaved rudely with the women and threatened to assault them if they did not leave his house. He also allegedly refused to give into their demands to do away with the loudspeakers.

While the women were returning home, a group of youths led by Naufal allegedly misbehaved with them and assaulted Geeta and Baby. A complaint in this regard was filed by Anita Veigas, a local, in Ullal police station.

Two of the group of women were admitted to hospital, and cases have been registered against Hameed, Rahiman, Naufal, Salim, Basheer, Kareem, Imran, Majeed, Ashraf, Ishaq and Mohammed Haneef. They have been booked under sections 506, 504, 143, 147, 149, 323, 324 and 354 on charges of issuing death threat, attempt to murder, attempt to outrage modesty, and hurting religious sentiments.

Meanwhile, it is said that when Subhashnagar resident Naushad was returning home after offering Namaz in the mosque, he saw a group of six youths forcibly dragging away a woman identified as Aminamma, a resident of Subhashnagar. When he tried to intervene and stop the youths, they allegedly assualted him. Naushad has filed a complaint in this regard in Ullal police station.

Acting on the complaint, the police registered cases against Subhashnagar residents Anil, Nithin, Dhanu, Yathish, Prashant and Manjunath under sections 143, 147, 148 , 149, 323, 324, 354 of the IPC.

ACP Kalyan Shetty, DCP (crime) Vishnuvardhan, Ullal police inspector Savitra Teja and SI Bharati visited the spot. Additional police security has been deployed in the area.

Court case

The case relating to Anjuman Mablagul Falah Madrasa is in court. It is said that an empty plot in the residential area had been set aside for non-residential institutions as per an order by the then assistant commissioner. The Madrasa was built on the same plot, and mosque activities also began, which were opposed by the locals who approached the court. The court ordered a stay on the mosque activities.

Thereafter, the Madrasa was rebuilt and mosque equipment was installed there, which was again opposed by the locals. The equipment was removed in the presence of police. The locals allege that despite the stay order by the court, the Madrasa still uses loudspeakers between 8 pm and 11 pm.