Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (GA)

Mangalore, Mar 27: A group of more than 12 men attacked and assaulted Kulur corporator Sonia D'Souza at Bendorewell near here on Monday March 26 night.  She is now being admitted to Unity Hospital for treatment.

Sonia along with a few other Congress party workers had been for dinner in a restaurant at Bendorewell on Monday night after meeting union minister Oscar Fernandes who was in the city on Monday.

As she finished her dinner and came out from the restaurant along with few others, a group of more than 12 persons rounded her up and physically assaulted her.  Some of them are said to have asked her as why did she go for dinner with members of other religion.  They even smashed the glasses of the car in which Sonia had come to the restaurant.

But as a few locals gathered, the group scattered from the place.  But by then damage had been done to the car and even Sonia had sustained minor injuries.  It is said that the mob which attacked Sonia might have known that she was a corporator and moreover that those present with her were Congress party workers.  They had presumed that Sonia had gone over a dinner party along with members of other religion.

It could be recalled that such incidents have been taking place repeatedly in and around the city these days.  The culture police of the district keep a special vigil on boys and girls who either go for lunch, party or picnic together.  If they find out that they are from two different religions, even before handing them over to actual police, they assault them. 

Despite several complaints nothing great has happened.  In the past there have been instances when students who had gone together on project works, study tours etc have been assaulted without even asking about them.  The trend is such if they come to know that both the boy and girls are from same religion (not of minority but majority), they leave them, said a student who has had this experience when he had gone to submit his project work along with his female counterpart a few months ago.