Mangalore, July 18: Sri Rama Sene [Hindu] activists allegedly assaulted a Muslim youth for attending a Hindu wedding reception in a restaurant.
Those who rushed to the rescue of the 30-year-old guest were also roughed up.
Claiming responsibility for the attack, Madhu Urwastore, convener of the district unit of the Sri Rama Sene, told that he (the Muslim guest) had no business attending a Hindu reception. “He was also misbehaving and getting close to women… so our boys beat him up and those who came to his rescue,” Mr. Urwastore said.
The staff of the restaurant said that other than the newly married couple, there were 15 guests, including children. “It was a normal family affair and they seemed to be enjoying the party,” a staffer said.
The waiter who was serving the guests said, “Suddenly, two men wearing saffron scarves entered the restaurant and asked the bearded man [Muslim guest] to vacate the place.” The waiter said that this warning was met with resistance from the other guests, and with help from restaurant’s staff, they made the two intruders leave.
Meanwhile, about 70 Sri Rama Sene activists were staging a demonstration in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office near the restaurant. They were protesting against Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Siddaramaiah’s recent comments against Sene chief Pramod Muthalik. The restaurant manager said that the two activists returned with those who were demonstrating in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office complex.
Once outside, the activists began to assault the Muslim youth, said one of the staffers of the restaurant. Presspersons, who were there, said that the attack bore some resemblance to the infamous pub attack.
No action taken
A police officer attached to the Pandeshwar station said, “It all happened too quickly for us to react. But we managed to shift the guests to a safe place.” However, no action had been taken against the assailants, he added.
Superintendent of Police A.S. Rao said the police did not receive any complaint from the victims. “In the absence of the complaint, we cannot file a case of assault,” he said.
-Agencies