Mangaluru, Sep 29 (IANS): The five Bajrang Dal activists, who were taken into custody in connection with a moral policing case, were released on station bail, police sources said on Wednesday. The opposition parties, however, have objected to this.
The accused activists were released late on Tuesday. The Congress and Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) condemned the ruling-BJP government over the issue.
The accused had allegedly stopped a group of medical students of a reputed college, including three women, returning from a trip and had questioned them for travelling with boys belonging to different religions on Sunday. The incident had taken place in front of a traffic police inspector and the video had gone viral on social platforms.
Screengrab of the viral video
Opposition leader Siddaramaiah questioned the government, saying, "Whether the assault on innocent students by Sangh Parivar goondas was part of a culture propagated by RSS."
Muneer Katipalla, the President of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) stated that the incident took place in broad daylight in front of a police officer. "Even as the police officer intervened, the accused tried to attack the medical students. They also held a girl students' hands and tried to drag them out of the car. The police have not added proper legal sections to make the case weak. Since the public pressure was there, the accused were taken into custody and released on station bail," he charged.
"It is a shameful act. How can they be released on station bail? The police have totally surrendered to the political pressure. It is very clear that local MP and MLA have got them released. We demand the accused should be arrested and local MP and MLA should apologise," Muneer explained.
The accused had stopped the vehicle in which six students, including three girls, studying in a reputed medical institute were travelling on Sunday. They had gone to the Malpe beach area on a trip and were returning. The accused had stopped the vehicle midway near Surathkal and took details from the students.
One of the students was injured in the incident while being dragged out of the vehicle. A complaint was registered from students in this regard. It was mentioned in the complaint that they were manhandled and abused by the group.
Police Inspector Sharif, attached to the traffic station, who was passing on the same road in his private car stopped the vehicle and controlled the situation. The students were then taken to the police station.
The accused have told the police that they stopped the car as they got information that a group of boys was behaving vulgarly with girls.
The video of the incident taken by one of the passers-by went viral on social media. Sources said that the medical students had gone to an island near Malpe Beach on a trip. They were observed and followed by the accused persons. The investigation is on.