KASARAGOD : Police in Mangaluru issued notice to thousands of people for protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act(CAA). The notice, issued by Asst. Commandant Office attached to City Crime Records Bureau, asks the receiver to appear before authorities on dates stated therein. Over 2,000 Malayalis including fish workers and students have been summoned.
The notice slaps charges for violating curfew, attacking the police, vandalizing, attempt to murder and criminal conspiracy.
People were targeted for notice, based on five mobile towers in the vicinity of North Police Station that tracked phones used in the area on 19 Dec, when 2 two protesters were shot dead during protests.
Those pulled up for questioning comprise scores of people who tripped to Mangaluru on the day including students, fish mongers, labourers, the sick who traveled for medical attention and people who accompanied them and everyday fish sellers who make their buys from Mangaluru. A woman returning to Kerala after attending divorce proceedings in Mangaluru has also been issued notice. Some who have not journeyed to Mangaluru any time in the recent past, are also recipients of the notice.
The notice bears warning that failing to make appearance would automatically implicate the person as participant in violent protest and criminal conspiracy.
The police meanwhile claimed that the massive pull up is aimed at identifying those who appear on CCTV footages of the fateful day. The Department of Home Affairs in Karnataka had claimed earlier that, the protests were held by mobs that arrived from Kerala.
On 19 Dec, seven journalists from Kerala, who went to do news coverage on protests were held in police custody for 7 seven hours before being shunted out of State borders.
