Mangalore: Eight Arrested for Attack on Resort, FIR Filed Against Two Journalists
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (PS)
Update: 2.55 pm
Mangalore, Jul 29: ADGP Bipin Gopalkrishna who is in the city to probe the assault on boys and girls at a resort by a Hindu group on Saturday July 28, said that already eight accused have been arrested, and that FIR has been filed against two journalists.
Addressing a press meet at the police commissioner's office here on Sunday July 29, Gopalkrishna said that the eight accused, belonging to the Hindu Janajagrana Vedike are Rajesh, Taranath, Subhash Padil, Ganesh, Sharath, Venugopal, Sandeep Shetty and Taranath. They have been charged under sections 143, 147, 148, 447, 448, 341, 323, 324, 504, 506, 354, 395 and 145 for assault and outraging the modesty of women.
FIRs have been filed against Naveen Surinje of Kasturi channel and Sharan of Sahaya TV, he said.
On media's role in the incident, he said, "Journalists are first and foremost the citizens of this country, and hence it was their duty to inform the police. Here the mediapersons were aware of the incident, but did not call the police. The presence of camera excited the assaulters and they felt encouraged."
He further said, "There were 13 boys and girls at the resort, belonging to Sahyadri, Sridevi and Roshni Nilaya Colleges. Investigations have confirmed that they were not involved in any rave party, but were only having a birthday celebration at around 6 pm. No drugs or anything illegal substance was at the spot of the incident. Only food items, soft drinks and beer bottles were found."
He said that at around 6 pm they had their party, and after sometime, a group of 15-20 people led by Subhash Padil of Hindu Janajagarana Vedike gatecrashed into the party and assaulted the boys and girls. He added that the locals thought it was a rave party, and that police rushed to the spot as soon they were informed.
Police commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh was in Bangalore, but he rushed back to the city on receiving information about the incident. The police also resorted to mild lathi charge to disperse the crowd that had gathered to protest outside the resort, he said.
Gopalkrishna further said that on interrogation, Subhash Padil said that his group had gone to the resort to only stage a protest, but things went out of control resulting in the assualt.
The ADGP also said that corporator Mohan Padil was released after being detained initially as he had no hand in the incident.
On asked whether the Morning Mist Home Stay resort was government approved or not, he said he has asked the deputy commissioner to find out.
On a query whether the same people were involved in the 2009 pub attack, he said the facts in this regard are yet to be verified.
He further informed that section 144 has been clamped in the city for the next three days. Additional police forces have been deployed to prevent any untoward incident in the city, he said.
According to a complaint by Vijaykumar, the event manager who arranged the resort party, a gold chain, Rs 10,000 in cash and a mobile phone were missing after the incident.
Interestingly, one of the girls who was assaulted was the daughter of a police officer in the city.
Among those present at the press meet were police commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh, and IGP (western range) Pratap Reddy.
Earlier Report
Mangalore: ADGP in City to Probe Attack on Girls at Resort
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore
Mangalore, Jul 29: Additional deputy general of police (ADGP, law and order) Bipin Gopalkrishna arrived in the city on Sunday July 29 to take stock of the situation following the attack on a resort and assault on girls and boys by the Hindu Janajagrana Vedike members on Saturday July 28.
Gopalkrishna visited the Morning Mist Home Stay resort where the incident had taken place on Saturday evening.
He inspected the spot, but refused to divulge any details to the media. However, he said that he would brief the media at a press meet the same afternoon.
The ADGP rushed to the city after the state government ordered a probe into the incident, following criticism from the opposition parties. Accordingly, Gopalkrishna was instructed to gather first-hand information about the incident.
The activists belonging to Hindu Jagarana Vedike barged into the resort and launched a physical attack on the girls and boys. The girls were thrashed, pushed and pulled around, slapped and even forcibly lifted by one of the activists.
While the activists claimed that the boys and girls were having an indecent party, the youngsters said that they were celebrating a birthday.
The attackers were taken into custody by the police.