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30 injured as police cane Left activists

Staff Correspondent

They were protesting against the increase in water tariff

CPI (M) demands judicial probe into the incident
Three private buses damaged in stone-throwing

Controlling a mob: Activists of the DYFI and CPI(M) clashing with the police in front of Mangalore City Corporation office on Monday.

MANGALORE: At least 30 persons were injured here on Monday when the police lathi-charged activists of Left parties who were protesting against, among other things, the increase in water tariff effected by the Mangalore City Corporation.

Two of the activists, U. Krishna of Derebail and Ramesh, who suffered serious injuries, have been admitted to the District Wenlock Hospital.

Members from the city units of the Democratic Youth Federation of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Centre of Indian Trade Union had gathered in front of the corporation office in large numbers to stage the protest.

Charge

While organisation representatives maintained that the police caned them without provocation, a video footage reportedly showed that police resorted to lathi-charge when a steel chair was thrown at Mangalore Circle Police Inspector (East) M.K. Ganapathi from a flank on the steps leading to the main gate of the corporation office.

Police were busy keeping the activists, who were trying to break the cordon and enter the office, at bay. The leaders too were appealing to their members, who were demanding that the Mayor Ganesh Hosabettu meet them, to maintain calm.

In the melee that followed, a section of protesters allegedly threw stones at three private buses damaging their windshields.

Police chased the protesters all the way up to Ballalbagh and caned them. The activists, including women, who were on the steps, bore the brunt of the lathi-charge.

Dolphy D’ Souza, a DYFI activist from Bajal, said he took a blow on his head while shielding a woman from the policemen.

He told this correspondent at the outpatient block of the District Wenlock Hospital that the police did not spare him even after he fell down. “They continued to rain blows on me,” he said.

Baby, a resident of Shaktinagar, suffered a blow in the head. Ms. Baby said she had joined the protest hoping that the authorities would hear her case.

“They have issued me a water bill for Rs. 3,000. How can I pay this huge amount with a meagre income?” she said.

The story of Imtiaz B.K., of Surathkal and Santhosh Shetty of Kulai was no different. They faced the brunt of police ire and could do nothing more than show their bruised and swollen hands and backs to this correspondent. Samuel Titus, a CITU leader, said the incident would not have gone out of hand had the Mayor turned up and listened to the protesters.

Criticised

The incident drew condemnation from district unit leaders of the Left parties. State secretariat member of the CPI(M) K.R. Shriyan accused Mr. Hosabettu of being apathetic to people’s issues. Demanding a judicial probe in to the lathi charge, Mr. Shriyan said the CPI (M) would announce its next course of action shortly.

“The Mayor cannot remain oblivious to the plight of the people who are suffering,” he said.

The Mangalore (erstwhile Ullal) MLA U.T. Khader who met the injured at the outpatient department alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party Government believed in unleashing the State machinery on people, including farmers, who went to the authorities with their problems.

Terming the lathi-charge as a shame, Mr. Khader said the Mayor should have shown the presence of mind in meeting the protesters and assuaging their feelings.

Action sought

Chairman of the Second Administrative Reforms Commission and the former Chief Minister M. Veerappa Moily has condemned the lathi-charge on the protesters. In statement here, Mr. Moily demanded that action be taken against the police officials responsible for the incident.

Senior Congress leader and former President of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee B. Janaradhana Poojary condemned the lathi-charge.

Arrested

The police have arrested a dozen people on charges of rioting, causing damage to public property and obstructing public servants from discharging their duties.

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