Karnataka   

Manhandling of SFI leader condemned

Being led away: SFI leader Ambarish being taken into custody by the police in Kolar on Wednesday

KOLAR: The alleged inhuman treatment of a student leader, who was arrested here by the police during the all-India strike on Wednesday has evoked widespread condemnation.

The police arrested V. Ambarish, district president of Students Federation of India (SFI), while he was participating in a strike in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office here. Ambarish, arrested on charges of alleged stone-throwing at vehicles, was taken to Gulpet station.

Though hundreds of workers were part of the agitation held at the venue, the police picked up only the student leader amid resistance from protesters.

“By shackling an activist and treating him like a criminal, the police have flagrantly violated human rights,” Communist Party of India (Marxist) State committee member Gandhinagar Narayanswamy said.

“The State Human Rights Commission should take up the issue seriously and the Government should initiate stern action against the police officials responsible for the inhuman act,” he said. Speaking to The Hindu over telephone, former MLA and veteran Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader G.V. Sriram Reddy said that the incident was against democratic norms.

Government should suspend the concerned authorities, or else “we will launch an agitation”, he said. Referring to the recent alleged police atrocity on Democratic Youth Federation of India and CPI(M) activists in Mangalore, Mr. Sriram Reddy remarked that the State seems slowly turning into a ‘Police Raj’.

Ambarish was beaten black and blue when he resisted his arrest, it was alleged. When contacted, Superintendent of Police Vipulkumar said that he would look into the matter.

Several associations such as district units of State Government Employees’ Federation, CITU, SFI, DYFI, JMS and Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha have condemned the alleged unprovoked arrest and manhandling of agitators.

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