Daijiworld Media Network -Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, Jul 17: A person, who has been accused of spreading communal hatred through WhatsApp group particularly among college students, was arrested by Bunder police from Kuneel Complex, Kankanady here, on Monday July 16. It is said that the messages spread by members of certain group including this person stated that a Muslim student of a college was following girls, duly demanding the college management to take action. Reportedly, the message named the harasser as Mohammed Nadeem, and went on to claim that Nadeem and a group of students from Kerala, who happen to be Nadeem's classmates, have been harassing Hindu girls.
The arrested person has been identified as Ashish from Asaigoly, Konaje. It is said that through some WhatsApp groups, by faking the name of a Muslim youth from a college, he had spread the rumour that a youth was harassing girls. The police, who followed the trail of the message, arrested the accused and undertook investigation.
The arrest was affected by Bunder station personnel under the directions of city police commissioner, T R Suresh, and under the guidance of deputy commissioners of police, Hanumantharaya (law and order) and Uma Prshanth (traffic and crime) as well as central subdivision assistant commissioner of police,Uday Nayak. City crime branch police inspector, Shanataram Kunder, and other officials too took part in the operation.
Case against sections 153 A l (spreading hatred between communities), and 505 (issuing mischievous statements in public) of Indian Penal Code. On being produced in the court, Ashish was remanded to 15 days judicial custody.
A case against the arrested accused was registered in Bunder police station. The police are now arranging for the arrest of some more persons involved with this activity.