Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (NR)
 
Mangalore, Jan 21: Police personnel in the Ullal police station limits of Dakshina Kannada district have come in for a lot of flak for allegedly harassing a woman belonging to the New India Church.
 
Strong condemnation was made by the office-bearers of the Dakshina Kannada district unit of Karnataka Missions Network (KMN) on the said matter, in a memorandum submitted to the superintendent of police. In this memorandum they have put forth a demand that all efforts be made by the state machinery to instill and boost confidence among the Christian community.
 
Releasing details on the matter Walter J. Maben, secretary of KMN unit in a press release issued here recently states that some policemen of Ullal had allegedly harassed Basamma, a church member.  The incident happened when she was coming back home after attending a prayer meeting held at the residence of Paulose, a church elder, at Kumpala.
 
The underlying motive behind the harassment and ill-treatment by the policemen is understood to have been the decision taken by Basamma and her family to follow the path of faith shown by Jesus Christ and become baptized believers. To add to the woes of Basamma and her family, even the station house officer (SHO) is understood to have abused and assaulted her for changing her religion, Maben informed in the release.
 
In the meantime, SP N. Sathish Kumar informed that a delegation from the KMN district unit had met him on Friday, Jan 18 and apprised him about the incident. And accordingly he has directed the assistant superintendent of police, of the Panambur sub-division Kaushlendra Kumar, to conduct a departmental probe into the matter and submit its report within five days, so that relevant action against the accused can be taken at the earliest.