Ashok promises stringent action in Mangalore case

Mangalore Today News Network

Bangalore, Aug 1, 2012: Home Minister R. Ashok on Tuesday assured the Legislative Council of taking stringent action against the offenders in what he described as “heinous” attack against youth at a birthday party at a home stay in Mangalore on Saturday.

 

Replying to a protracted discussion in the Upper House, the Minister said that of the 27 accused, 15 were arrested and they were booked under various sections of the IPC. Additional Director-General of Police (Law and Order) Bipin Gopalakrishna had been asked to investigate all aspects of the incident and submit a report, he said.

Legislation to regulate the activities of the growing number of home stay facilities, it had been decided to bring out a law. “I have discussed the issue with the Chief Minister and the Department of Tourism,” he remarked.

Disputing the allegation of Opposition members that some of the offenders had been released, he clarified that none of the arrested persons had been released and that cases were booked against them.

On the allegation that some of the accused were involved in an incident in 2009, he said that cases would be booked under Goonda Act against such habitual offenders.

Noting that the government would not allow people to take the law into their hands, he appealed to the media against naming anti-social elements as “moral police” and glorifying them.

Defending the police action, he refuted the claim by the Opposition that the police had not responded to the “phone calls made by mediapersons”. He said that the police had reached the location in just 20 minutes.

Courtesy: The Hindu