Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Dec 24: District unit president of International Federation of Karnataka Christian Associations, Louis Lobo, alleged at a press conference held here on Thursday December 23, that the policemen have registered cases against headmaster of Milagres High School, Kallianpur, Paul R Lobo, and teacher, Marceline Cera, under non-bailable sections of the Criminal Procedure Code, even after closing the case, duly confessional statement at Malpe police station.

Giving details of the case, Lobo said that an eighth standard student of the high school, Akash, and eight other students, had been asked by the class teacher, Avinash, to obtain headmaster’s permission to attend the class, as they had absented themselves from the special class held the previous day. The headmaster had sent the students back to the classes, after hitting them once each, he explained.

“On December 22, Malpe sub-inspector of police and other personnel visited the school and arrested the headmaster. It is learnt that after the headmaster was taken to the police station, Kishore Kunder, father of Akash, and a local named Prakash, filed complaint of atrocity on dalits with the policemen. Thereafter, the headmaster was asked to give a confessional statement,” he explained. Lobo alleged that the headmaster was asked to remain in the police station in the name of mediation with the complainants, and after 5 pm, case under sections 295 A, and 324, which is non-bailable, were registered. Cases have also been registered against teacher, Marceline Cera, relating to making derogatory remarks about caste and religion, he revealed.

Catholic Sabha Udupi president, Louis D’Almeida, IFKCA secretary, Neri Carnelio, Catholic Sabha Kallianpur zone president, Luke D’Souza, Udupi zone president, Sanjay Andrade, Lesley Louis, and Milagres College professor, Vincent Alva, were present at the rpess conference.

On Thursday, Christian associations and progressive organizations staged a protest in front of the office of the district superintendent of police (SP), condemning registration of cases against the teachers as above. Fr Martin, speaking on the occasion, said that it was wrong to have filed a case on the basis of caste and religion, in an incident aimed at guiding the student towards righteousness.

After the protest, a memorandum was submitted to the SP. Jayan Malpe and Shekhar Hejmady of Dalit Sangharsh Samiti, G Rajshekhar of Komu Sauharda Vedike, Prof Phaniraj, and president of the district Minorities Forum, Abdul Khateeb Rashid, addressed the protestors.

In the meanwhile, Merceline Cera, arrested on the allegation of making derogatory remarks about a religion, was granted bail by the second additional civil court here, on Thursday. Advocates, Prashant Sagar, and B Ronald Furtado, had appeared on behalf of Cera in the court. Headmaster of the school, Paul R Lobo, who also was arrested, is yet to secure bail.