Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (DV)
Mangaluru, Dec 26: Former mayor Ashraf, president of United Muslim Organization, DK district, on Saturday December 26 alleged that the police have arrested innocents in the Prashant Poojary murder case and have fixed them under false charges in other cases too, besides committing atrocities against them.
Prashant Poojary, a flower vendor and right-wing activist, was murdered in Moodbidri on October 9.
Addressing a press meet here, Ashraf said, "The accused arrested in the Prashant Poojary are facing atrocities. They have been fixed in other cases of murder and stabbing also in Bajpe, Kavoor and Moodbidri police limits.
"Relating to Prashant Poojary murder, the police have filed a case against 17, out of whom ten have been arrested. The arrested are being given third degree treatment. They are produced in court and sent to judicial custody. They are being fixed in other cases which the police have been unable to solve," he alleged.
"The guilty should be punished, but fixing innocents in other cases is condemnable. This is violation of human rights. In Harish Poojary murder case only three have been arrested and in Naseer murder only a few arrested so far. But in Prashant Poojary's case, there are 17 accused even though only 6 committed the murder. Why this discrimination?" he questioned.
"Appropriate action should be taken against officers who have meted out third degree treatement to the accused and those not involved in the Prashant murder case should be released. Police should stop taking innocents into custody without any reason. They should first do proper investigation before arresting," he demanded.
"If our demand is not fulfilled, a massive people's movement will be initiated and we will also take it up legally," he warned.
Tahul, brother of accused Mustafa Kavoor said, "After Mustafa's arrest, police asked us to bring his t-shirt, shoes and jackets in an attempt to plant evidence against him and fix him in false cases. They are meting out third degree treatment to him."
Haneef Katipalla, Nawaz Ullal and others present.