'MLA conspiring to protect accused in Ulaibettu case'

The victims of Ulaibettu violence on Friday alleged that MLA Mohiuddin Bava and the newly-created Nagarika Hitharakshana Samithi members are conspiring to protect Aboobakker Siddique, the prime accused in the communal violence of Ulaibettu on December 5, 2014.

Briefing mediapersons here, Ulaibettu residents Sowmya, Yashoda, Manoj Kumar, Gangadhar and Uday said, “Aboobakker Siddique, who was arrested by the Mangaluru rural police on Monday is the prime accused in the incident. After the arrest, we have been asked to identify him. However, the Nagarika Hitharakshana Samithi is trying to project him as an innocent person now. We were shocked at the statement issued by the MLA under the banner of Nagarika Hitharakshana Samithi on Thursday. The MLA should try to provide justice to the victims, instead of protecting the accused.”

Sowmya, who had filed the complaint during the violence, said, “We were silent on the issue so far with the hope that the police will arrest the accused. Now, when the accused is arrested, a few persons have come forward to protect him. The MLA should represent the entire constituency and not one community alone.”

Gangadhar said, “After Pramod Kumar took charge in the rural police station, peace prevailed in Ulaibettu region. All the accused should be arrested and punished. I have lost many of my teeth following the assault during the violence.” 

Manoj Kumar said he sees vote bank politics behind the incident. “The MLA was missing when the incident occurred. It is a tragedy that now he is trying to protect the accused.”
It may be mentioned here that MLA Mohiuddin Bava convened a press meet on Thursday evening to claim that the accused (Aboobakker Siddique) was innocent. When media persons asked him how did he come to the conclusion that the accused was innocent, the MLA said: “His (accused) parents had told me.”