Daijiworld Media Network—Mangalore (TU/CN)

Mangalore, Dec 14: Organizations including the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner on Friday December 12, urging the district administration to act immediately against anti-social elements which have been conducting serial attacks on minorities and the media in the city.

P B D’Sa, president, PUCL, said that the police system in the district had totally failed. It has been a threat to the right to live and freedom of speech. Unfortunately, some police personnel have also joined hands with anti-social elements, he alleged.

Expressing concern over the series of attacks on petty shops in the city where the evening newspaper ‘Karavali Ale’ was being sold, he said, “So far, no action has been taken against two senior police officials even after the directions from the DGP to do so. This has proved moral support to anti-social elements to go on rampage.”

It is the bounden duty of the district administration to reconstitute the legal system and ensure constitutional values in the district, he added. The delegation also urged taking measures to contain the miscreants including police officials.

According to the sources, about 10,000 copies of ‘Karavali Ale’ were set on fire at Bejai here on Friday. A case has been filed at the Barke police station in this regard.

Meanwhile, S A Prabhakar Sharma, assistant DC, headquarters, assured of action against anti-social elements. Suresh Bhat, Dinesh Ulepady, Kabir, Ali Hasan, Ismael, and Bertram Pinto were present on the occasion.