VHP, Bajrang Dal leaders apply for anticipatory bail
Mangaluru: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) State Secretary Sharan Pumpwell and Bajrang Dal Dakshina Kannada district president Dinesh Mendon have filed applications seeking bail in anticipation of arrest in connection with the case registered against them by Udupi police for their recent alleged provocative speeches made in Udupi.
The application made under Section 438 of the Criminal Procedure Code was filed before the Principal District and Sessions Court, Udupi on August 10. Principal District and Sessions Judge Shantaveer Shivappa has posted the case to August 16 for objections by public prosecutor.
During the speech following a protest march by VHP activists in Udupi on August 3 in connection with alleged voyeurism involving three paramedical diploma students, Pumpwell said women, who do cooking and do other household chores, should take up weapons when the women of the fraternity are in danger. Women should send out a message that they will not spare those who ill-treat women of the fraternity.
Mendon said Muslim leaders should call men and women of their fraternity and advise them against melding with people from another community. “If you fail to do so then the incident of Adi Udupi (in March 2005 when two Muslims were stripped and assaulted) can reoccur. Incidents in Brahmavar, Hiriyadka and the one against Hasanabba in Perdoor in 2017 can reoccur.”
The Udupi Town Police took note of these remarks in their speeches and registered on August 3 a suo motu case against Sharan and Mendon for offences under Sections 505 (1) (B) (act inducing any person to commit offence against public tranquility) , 505 (1)(C) (act done with an intent to incite any class or community to commit any offence against any other class or community) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of Indian Penal Code.
