Book VHP leader Sharan Pumpwell in Fazil’s murder case, victim’s father urges police

Book VHP leader Sharan Pumpwell in Fazil’s murder case, victim’s father urges police

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Jan 31, 2023: Ummer Farooq, father of Fazil who was killed, on Monday urged the Mangaluru police to book Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Sharan Pumpwell as the plotter of the crime, after a video of Mr. Pumpwell’s speech at Tumakuru, claiming that “Hindu youths” killed Mr. Fazil to avenge the murder of Praveen Nettaru, went viral on Sunday.

 

The Congress, the Janata Dal (Secular), and the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) also sought action against Mr. Pumpwell, who is the Pranth Saha Karyadarshi of the VHP, Mangaluru.

Mr. Farooq, a resident of Mangalapete in Surathakl, met City Police Commissioner N. Shashi Kumar at his office and submitted a memorandum demanding action against Mr. Pumpwell.

He said Mr. Fazil was hacked to death in front of people on July 28, 2022, in Surathkal. The Surathkal police had registered a case, arrested eight persons, and filed the chargesheet before the jurisdictional court.

Mr. Farooq had been urging the investigating officer to bring the person who hatched the murder to book. He happened to watch a YouTube video on Sunday, wherein Mr. Pumpwell was delivering a speech at the Shourya Yatre in Tumakuru. In the purported video, Mr. Pumpwell not only praised the efforts of the culprits in killing his son, but also claimed that the murder was carried out to avenge the killing of Mr. Nettaru, according to Mr. Farooq.

It is therefore clear that Mr. Pumpwell had prior information about Mr. Fazil’s murder and it is possible the crime was carried out at his instance, Mr. Farooq alleged.

The city police should arrest Mr. Pumpwell and conduct further investigation into his son’s murder, he demanded.

The Police Commissioner told presspersons that he has sought legal opinion on the matter. Further action depends upon the legal opinion, he added.

Responding to Mr. Pumpwell’s reported speech, Dakshina Kannada Youth JD(S) president Akshith Suvarna said the statement was a shocker to civil society and challenged the legal system of the country. The statement could also incite communal strife on the eve of the Assembly elections, Mr. Suvarna said, and demanded immediate action against Mr. Pumpwell by the police.

Social Democratic Party of India district general secretary Anwar Sadath Bajattoor in a statement urged the police to immediately book a suo motu case against Mr. Pumpwell as per Supreme Court directions and questioned why he was not arrested yet.

A delegation of Dakshina Kannada District Congress Committee, led by president and MLC K. Harish Kumar, also met the Police Commissioner on Monday and demanded immediate action against Mr. Pumpwell. Such statements could lead to genocide and the police should act immediately, it said.

Courtesy: The Hindu