Bengaluru: Following a series of incidents involving mob lynching, revenge murders, and multiple stabbings in the Mangaluru region, the Karnataka government has replaced the Police Commissioner of Mangaluru City and the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Mangaluru district on Thursday.
A new SP has also been appointed for the neighbouring Udupi district.
According to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), the government has taken strict action by transferring senior police officers from the coastal districts in response to the growing unrest.
The move comes after several minority community office bearers in Mangaluru district announced their mass resignation from the Congress party, citing police inaction in recent violent incidents, including multiple stabbings and the murder of Abdul Raheem.
Anupam Agarwal, the incumbent Police Commissioner of Mangaluru, has been transferred with immediate effect. He will be replaced by Sudheer Kumar Reddy, who previously served as Deputy Inspector General of Police, Intelligence.
Arun K. has been appointed as the new SP of Mangaluru district, replacing N. Yathish, who has not been assigned a new post. Hariram Shankar has been appointed as the SP of the Udupi district.
Leaders of the minority community had earlier declared their intent to submit mass resignations on May 29, following the final rites of Abdul Raheem, who was killed by a gang of 15 assailants on Tuesday.
Thousands of party workers gathered at Shaadi Mahal in Bolar locality on Thursday. Although the leaders were initially hesitant to resign after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah personally intervened, they were pressured by the crowd to announce their resignations publicly in front of the media.
Mangaluru District Minority Unit President K.K. Shahul Hameed stated that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah personally called him and requested a week’s time to resolve the situation.
“Siddaramaiah asked me not to take any hasty decision. In this context, we have deferred the mass resignation by a week,” Hameed said, appealing to the agitated workers to remain calm.
“The community was already distressed over the mob lynching of Mohammed Ashraf. We had urged authorities to take action. But the murder of Abdul Raheem has tested our patience. We are deeply saddened that such incidents are happening even when our own party is in power. This led us to consider mass resignations. However, after learning of our plan, CM Siddaramaiah personally intervened,” he added.
Despite his appeal, the party workers remained adamant, demanding justice and insisting that the leaders resign. Bowing to public pressure, the leaders eventually announced their resignations.
The communally sensitive Mangaluru district and coastal Karnataka remain tense following the murder of a 34-year-old man in the jurisdiction of the Bantwal Rural Police Station.
Additional police forces have been deployed to monitor the situation, and authorities have imposed prohibitory orders in the district until the evening of May 30.
A gang of assailants hacked to death Abdul Raheem, a resident of Koltamajal near Irakodi, close to Bantwal town, on Tuesday.
The incident comes less than a month after the murder of Hindu activist and rowdy-sheeter Suhas Shetty, and it is suspected that Abdul Raheem was killed in retaliation for Shetty’s murder.
Leaders of the Muslim community have staged protests in Mangaluru, demanding the immediate arrest of the culprits. They alleged that the incident occurred due to provocative statements made by Hindu activists and leaders following Suhas Shetty’s murder.
The deceased, Abdul Raheem, operated a goods vehicle and served as the secretary of a local mosque. He is survived by two children.
According to police, he had no criminal record and was not affiliated with any organisation.
Meanwhile, police have registered an FIR against 15 individuals in connection with the incident. Statements have been taken from Kalandar Shafi, a friend of the deceased who was with him at the time of the attack and sustained injuries while escaping the assailants.
(IANS)
