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2009 Pub Attack: Second JMFC court begins re-hearing

Mangalore: After five-and-half years, the Judicial Magistrate First Class Court (JMFC) has re-started the hearing of the infamous 2009 pub attack case, which made headlines in media across the nation, denting the image of coastal district.

It may be recalled that a group of Sri Ram Sena activists had barged into a pub named Amnesia on Balmatta road in the heart of Mangalore city on January 24, 2009 and thrashed weekend revelers in broad daylight, including girls, accusing them of behaving in an obscene manner in public. While several women were chased and beaten by the ’cultural guards’ for sipping on a glass of alcohol and wearing modern attires, men were thrashed black and blue for retaliating.

A year after the vicious attack, the 30 accused were all out on bail.

Meanwhile, the state High Court (HC) had instructed the lower court five years ago not to conduct the trial of Dinakar Shetty, the 28th accused in pub attack case after he had appealed for a stay on his hearing.

The first rehearing began on Monday, October 28 at the second JMFC court after the High Court ordered for re-investigation.

Various campaigns and non-violent protest movements were launched in major cities in response to the notorious incident that had drawn sharp criticism from various sections of the society, who strongly condemned the moral policing by members of the Sri Rama Sena.

The National Commission for Women (NCW) constituted a three-member team to investigate the attack on women in the pub. In what was termed a shocking statement, the NCW put the blame on the girls who were beaten.

Police raid slaughter house, seize 300 kg meat

Beltangady : In a shocking case, the police raided an illegal slaughter house functioning at Kutteti in Tannirpantha village of Belthangady on Wednesday, October 29 and seized 300 kgs of beef.

The slaughter house belonging to Abbas and Sharief was functioning unabated, despite the fact that it is located only about 20 mts away from the Highway. However, during the raid the duo managed to escape.

Uppinangady SI Jagadish Reddy and team, on receiving information from reliable sources raided the slaughter house.

Since this slaughter house comes in the Punjalakatte police station limits, the case has been handed over to them.

It’s time MCC acted stern on Mangalore One crisis

Mangalore: Strong resentment brewing between the Mangalore One employees over the allegation of misuse of fund by one of the employees has resulted in general public struggling to get their work done.

Recently a report published in Udayavani English had highlighted how people had to face the brunt due to in fight between the Mangalore one employees. The employees had refused to work as mark of protest against the rejoining of a Mangalore one manager Archana who had been suspended on charges of misappropriation of funds. A case was also registered in Bunder Police Station.

When Mangalore City Corporation Mayor Mahabala Maarla was asked about the same he had said that they were aware about the issues and that a Committee headed by Standing Committee President Puroshotham Chitrapur had been constituted to look into the issues.

Committee formed

Speaking to Udayavani English Puroshotham Chitrapur said a committee including Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress Party corporator Deepak Poojary, Naveen D’Souza, A C Vinay Raj, Vijay Kumar Shetty, Rajesh and Premanand Shetty had been formed. The misappropriation case had come up during one of the meeting (October 15). Prime facie evidences suggested that there were differences found between tax money collected and the money which was deposited in the bank.

Report likely to be taken up during the council meeting

A chartered accountant and a legal advisor have been appointed on temporary basis to conduct the investigations. As a comprehensive report will take more than a month’s time, the CA had said that a preliminary report will be submitted in ten days. The report is expected to be handed over to the committee on October 29 and likely to be taken up for discussion during the council meeting on the same day.

Reconciliation meeting

As per an employee of Mangalore One, a level of reconciliation with the Mangalore One Manager had already been done and in the coming days another reconciliation meeting would be convened. However he also stated that if it was proved that there had been misappropriation then they would not think twice to initiate disciplinary action against the Manager.

The onus is now on the MCC to take up the matter and arrive at a decision and ensure that the problems will be solved.