Resort party attack – 8 arrested, FIRs filed against 2 reporters

Resort party attack – 8 arrested, FIRs filed against 2 reporters

Mangalore Today

Mangalore, July 29, 2012: ADGP Bipin Gopalkrishna, who is in Mangalore to investigate the assault on students who were partying at Morning Mist Home Stay last evening, told reporters that the police have arrested 8 people and registered FIRs against two journalists.

Addressing reporters at a press conference held in the Mangalore Police Commissionerate on July 29, Sunday, the ADGP said that the arrested are Rajesh, Ganesh, Taranath, Subhash Padil, Sandeep Shetty, Sharath, Tharanath, and Venugopal of Hindu Janajagarana Vedike (HJV). They have been booked under Sections 143, 147, 148, 447, 448, 341, 323, 324, 504, 506, 354, 395 and 145 for assaulting and outraging the modesty of women. Besides, the police have registered FIRs against Sharan of Sahaya TV and Naveen Surinje of Kasturi Channel.

 

Speaking about the cases filed against the television reporters, the ADGP said that journalists, as responsible citizens, are required to inform the police. In this case, the reporters were aware of the incident, but failed to call the police and encouraged the culprits with their presence and their eagerness to capture the scene on their cameras.

Regarding the students partying at Morning Mist Home Stay, he said that a group of 13 students belonging to Shridevi, Sahyadri, and Roshni Nilaya colleges were present at the venue. They were not taking part in a rave party, but were only celebrating a friend’s birthday at around 6:00 p.m. The police did not find any drug or illegal substance at the venue; instead, they found only soft drinks, food items, and beer bottles.

He said that the students began their party at 6:00 p.m., but a group of around 20 people under the leadership of Subhash Padil of HJV barged into the resort and began assaulting the students. He said that the local people thought it was a rave party and had summoned them. The police rushed to the place as soon as they were informed.

Further, he said that Mangalore Police Commission, Seemanth Kumar Singh, who was in Bangalore when it happened, rushed back to Mangalore as soon as he got the news. The police had to resort to lathi charge to disperse the crowds, he added.

He said that Subhash Padil stated on police interrogation that his group had only gone to protest, but things got out of control. Since Corporator Mohan Padil had nothing to do with the incident, he was released shortly after he was arrested.

In response to a reporter’s query on Morning Mist Home Stay, the ADGP said that he has instructed the deputy commissioner to find out if the resort has a license.

He also announced that Section 144 has been imposed in Mangalore for the next three days and additional police forces have been brought to Mangalore to maintain law and order and prevent violence.

Vijaykumar, who had arranged the resort party, lodged a complaint in which he stated that Rs. 10,000, a gold chain, and a mobile phone were found to be missing after the incident.

IGP (western range) Prathap Reddy and Seemanth Kumar Singh, Mangalore police commissioner, were also present at the press conference.