Anti-CAA protests intensified in Mangaluru, Karnataka, with two protesters killed in police firing. The victims, Jaleel (49) and Nauseen (23), suffered bullet injuries after police began to fire, in an attempt to quell the violent protests. They later succumbed to their injuries.
The protests had turned violent with demonstrators hurling stones at police personnel, and police resorting to lathi-charge and firing.
In an attempt to avoid untoward incidents, the state government has beefed up security deployed at deputy commissioner’s office and other areas in the city today i.e December 20.
Tragic news in Mangaluru.
Two people have died in police firing and two are supposedly critically injured.
The BJP is directly responsible for breakdown of law & order.
The statements and actions of the BJP govt & its leaders is creating an unnecessary provocative environment.
— ದಿನೇಶ್ ಗುಂಡೂರಾವ್/ Dinesh Gundu Rao (@dineshgrao) December 19, 2019
Defying prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPC that bans assembly of more than four people, protesters took to the streets, holding placards with slogans like ‘withdraw CAA and NRC’ and ‘CAA is against constitution’.
Shocking Video : "No one died yet ? then how you fired the bullet ?" asks police officer in Mangalore Protest. #CAAProtest #CitizenshipAmmendmentAct #Mangaluru #mangaloreprotest #Emergency2019 pic.twitter.com/4FDQJvzXbY
— El Profesor (@ProKannada) December 20, 2019
Police fired tear gas shells, resorted to baton charge and fired in the air to disperse the protesting crowd.
Police lathi charge anti-CAA protesters in Mangaluru @thenewsminute #CAAProtest pic.twitter.com/pc7oYX2lm5
— Theja Ram (@thejaram92) December 19, 2019
Meanwhile, video footage that emerged from Mangaluru’s Highland Hospital showed police personnel lathi-charging people in the lobby in the evening of December 19.
Video 1: Shows that a tear gas shell was thrown in Highland Hospital lobby in Mangaluru and people including caregivers rushing inside. Police entered highland hospital and kicked at ICU doors. People can be seen running. @thenewsminute #CAAProtests pic.twitter.com/Jt8RYILZPM
— Theja Ram (@thejaram92) December 20, 2019
Video 2- Shows police trying to kick and enter a room in the Highland Hospital ward in Mangaluru. They were looking for protesters, but hospital authorities say they lathicharged everyone including attenders. @thenewsminute #CAAProtests pic.twitter.com/LiYvhJqM83
— Theja Ram (@thejaram92) December 20, 2019
In one of the videos that surfaced, however, protesters can be seen pelting stones at police personnel and then running into the hospital.
Video 3 – Third video shows a few protesters in Mangaluru pelt stones at police and run into Highland Hospital. Hospital sources say that the rest of the crowd were caregivers and staff. @thenewsminute pic.twitter.com/z87wkWEGqU
— Theja Ram (@thejaram92) December 20, 2019
Speaking to The Logical Indian, Muneer Katitallal, 42, DYFI Karnataka State President, claimed: “I have been in touch with the protesters and they were protesting peacefully when the police resorted to violence. Protesters hurled stones only after provocation.”
Talking about the Highland Hospital incident, he claimed that when the now-deceased Jaleel and Nauseen were brought in to the hospital injured, police barged in and became violent, without any provocation.
When The Logical Indian reached out to the hospital, the authorities refused to comment on the incident and claimed that the situation in the hospital is currently normal. They denied the presence of police personnel in the hospital premise.
Hours after the two men were killed, the Karnataka government suspended mobile Internet services in Mangaluru and Dakshina Kannada district. The suspension comes in the wake of Manguluru Police Commissioner P. S. Harsha’s report to the state government on the violent incidents that had taken place.
Although Mangaluru police reportedly told media that they resorted to lathicharge only after the protesters became violent, they remained unavailable for a clear comment when The Logical Indian contacted them.
Currently, an uneasy calm prevails in Mangaluru, with a curfew imposed in parts of the city till Sunday midnight.
Also Read: [Watch] Mangaluru Police Barges Into Hospital, Swings Batons In ICU
