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Popular Font of India members stage a
protest on Bangalore Road in Mysore on Thursday demanding the
release of people who were arrested during Kyatamaranahalli
violence. |
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Kochi:
Showing their loyalty to the BJP government of Karnataka, the Mysore
city police on July 9 attacked on and arrested hundreds of peaceful
demonstrators of the Popular Front of India who were demanding
release of two hundred innocents including dozens of PFI activists
arrested on July 6 in connection with the Mysore communal clash.
The
PFI had organized a Jail Bharo Andolan yesterday afternoon even
though Section 144 was in force in the place. The people had
assembled at the Fountain Circle. They were peacefully demanding the
release of more than 210 innocent people arrested in connection with
the communal clashes in Mysore. The people were sitting peacefully
and offering voluntary arresting. A group of local women activists
of PFI marched in to join the protest. As they reportedly resisted
arresting by the police and refused to disperse the police
unjustifiably resorted to lathicharge and bursting of tear gas to
disperse the protestors. Several people were severely wounded in the
lathicharge and the stampede-like situation that followed.
With
the police arresting 200 more people yesterday the total number of
people arrested so far in relation with the communal clashes in
Mysore has reached to 400. None have been released yet.
The
state leaders of the PFI including President K Abdul Latheef and
General Secretary Afsar Pasha who had been arrested on the spot have
not yet been released. Talks are going on with the higher
authorities of the police for the release of the leaders and others,
said Abdur Razak, a PFI official.
Communal clashes broke out in Udayagiri and nearby places in Mysore
on 2nd July when a masjid compound was desecrated by miscreants. The
violence that followed took lives of three including a 14-year old,
who people say, was killed in police firing. Police had to resort to
firing to disperse the angry mob. Prohibitory orders were imposed in
the areas till July 6th and then extended to 13th.
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