The Dakshina Kannada district police was aware of the possibility of attacks on churches and Christian prayer halls, at least a day prior to the series of attacks reported on..." />
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Police were warned about possible attacks on churches

Police were warned about possible attacks on churches


Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, July 16: The Dakshina Kannada district police was aware of the possibility of attacks on churches and Christian prayer halls, at least a day prior to the series of attacks reported on September 14, 2008, and thereafter.


Someshekara commission


The former sub-inspector of the Urwa police station C. Kiran said this on Friday before the B.K. Somasekhara Commission during cross-examination by B. Ibrahim, counsel for the minority communities.


Mr. Kiran told the commission that the then Superintendent of Police (SP) N. Satheesh Kumar had sent a note to the police station about possible attacks with an instruction to policemen to take appropriate measures to protect churches and prayer halls.


When asked how far the instruction was carried out, he said, “We followed it properly.” He said he did not know whether adequate protection was provided to the Adoration Monastery in the city, which was attacked on September 14, a day after the direction was issued.


Mr. Kiran, who initially said that people who had gathered on September 15, 2008 near the Urwa church in protest against the attacks on churches had done so peacefully was not correct, later admitted that the crowd had dispersed on an appeal by him. He, however, told counsel for the police, Narayana Reddy, that the police had acted with restraint and had not resorted to any action in order to prevent any repercussions.


Sub-inspector of the Mangalore Rural police station Prakash told counsel for the Christian memorialists M.P. Naronha that investigations had revealed the involvement of the Bajrang Dal in the attacks. He said certain banners regarding the murder of a “Mahatma” in Orissa might have been displayed in the city prior to the attacks.


He said he found on August 23, 2008, that crosses placed on a piece of government land in Kursugudde in Pachchanadi were damaged. He found saffron flags there and many Christians had gathered at the place. Later, Hindus also came there. There was no demand from anyone to remove the flags and he had not initiated any action to remove them on his own.


The commission directed Bhagwandas, BJP councillor from Krishnanagar ward, to appear before it on July 21 in Bangalore.

courtesy-The Hindu


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