Bhatkal’s Muslim community is peace loving, say leaders

Bhatkal’s Muslim community is peace loving, say leaders

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, June 03: Leaders of Bhatkal’s Muslim community condemned the arrest of Abdul Samad Bhatkal by the Mumbai anti-terrorist squad (ATS) during a public meeting and advised the youth to keep in constant touch with their families and to avoid associating with suspicious elements and strangers. The leaders expressed the opinion that this will keep them safe from falling prey to police conspiracies to trap the youth of Bhatkal. Parents were also advised to protect their youth because the police have been unnecessarily targeting the youth of their community, said a leader. 

 

Azeez Barni, the group editor of national Urdu daily “Rashtriya Sahara,” hinted at a larger conspiracy against the Muslim community and said that communal forces are targeting the innocent youth of Bhatkal, especially those who are working for their living in the Gulf countries. Criticizing the media for its lack of efficiency in presenting the facts, he said that the Muslims of Bhatkal follow Islam and do not approve of terrorism. Stating that the Muslims of Bhatkal practice peace, humanity, and harmony, he protested against the media’s wrong projection of Bhatkal as a hub of terrorists.  

Bhatkal received its reputation as a town of terrorists after the Bhatkal brothers Iqbal and Riyaz, who founded the terrorist organization Indian Mujahideen, were charged for a series of terrorist activities all over India. The brothers are still moving around free. Riyaz Bhatkal, the brother of Samad, recently arrested by the Mumbai ATS, is believed to be hiding in Dubai.  

Samad stands accused of supplying 3 China-made revolvers to Suleiman Mahmood, Haji Imran, and Afzal Sheikh, all members of Chhota Shakeel’s gang, last year. The trio were arrested in Mumbai and the weapons were confiscated from them.