By Najiya O., TwoCircles.net,
Around 400 people have reportedly been arrested in relation with the communal clashes in Mysore. None have been released yet.
Among those arrested, around 200 were booked in the initial days when the clashes broke out. The rest were arrested yesterday when the Popular Front of India organised a ‘Jail Bharo’ Andolan in Mysore demanding the release of those (innocents) arrested.
A march was organised by the Popular Front of India (PFI) yesterday afternoon even though Section 144 was in force in the place. The people who had assembled at the Fountain Circle were arrested and removed by the police. PFI activists including women refused to disperse.
The police then resorted to lathicharge and bursting of tear gas to disperse the mob. The PFI maintained that the people were peacefully courting arrest. Several people were severely wounded in the lathicharge and the stampede-like situation that followed.
Popular Font of India members stage a protest on Bangalore Road in Mysore on Thursday demanding the release of people who were arrested during Kyatamaranahalli violence.
The state leaders of the PFI including President K Abdul Latheef and General Secretary Afsar Pasha who had been arrested on the spot have not yet been released. Talks are going on for the release of the leaders and others, said Abdur Razak, a PFI official.
The PFI refuted the police allegation that the organisation had been inciting people for violence, upon which charge, 15 activists including the district president were arrested on Thursday. The organisation explained that they had carried out field work to control the situation including a personal vehicle-announcement by the district president to bring calm in the affected Muslim areas. The local MP, District Commissioner and Police officers were in constant contact with the organisation.
The PFI alleges that the State Home Minister interfered in the matter and ordered the arrest of the activists of the organisation. The organisation is, however, resolved to fight “state terrorism and communal politics,” its Central Secretariat said in a press release. It also condemned ‘the police action against the peaceful agitation of the Muslim masses’ at Bangalore yesterday.
Curfew was re-imposed in Udayagiri police station limits and extended to NR police station limits due to yesterday’s disturbances.
The communal clashes in Mysore also became the topic of heated discussions in the Karnataka Assembly yesterday. HS Shankaralinge Gowda, an MLA of the BJP, accused Tanveer Sait, MLA of the constituency consisting of Udayagiri, of instigating the communal clashes. This led to heated debate which finally resulted in the ruling BJP apologising for the remarks of the MLA.
Communal clashes broke out in Udayagiri and nearby places in Mysore on 2nd July when a masjid compound was desecrated by miscreants. The violence that followed took lives of three including a 14-year old, who people say, was killed in police firing. Police had to resort to firing to disperse the angry mob. Prohibitory orders were imposed in the areas till July 6th and then extended to 13th.