Mangaluru police serve notices to leaders of protest against toll gate

As the Toll Gate Virodhi Horata Samithi gears up to stage a massive protest against the toll gate in Surathkal on October 18, the police have served notices to agitating individuals, to appear before DCP who is executive magistrate under Section 107 of CrPC.

The serving of the notices late in the night has drawn criticism from various quarters.

In her Facebook post, Congress leader and former corporator Prathibha Kulai, who is also one of the leaders in the forefront protesting against the toll gate, alleged that the police visited her house to serve notice late in the night.

"It is an attempt to suppress the protest. I am a social worker and not a terrorist. As a citizen of the country I respect the law of the land. Five police personnel attached to Surathkal police station visiting my house at 11.45 pm has been recorded in the CC camera. As I was not at home, notice was not collected. Can anyone come and knock on the door in the middle of the night in a house where there are women? Is this democracy?," she sought to know.

While advocate Dinesh Ulepadi said "as expected, police are trying to stop the scheduled protest. Notices have been served under Section 107 CrPC in the name of breach of peace and disturbing public tranquility. The toll collection should be stopped. There is no change in the date of the scheduled protest."

Horata Samithi convener Muneer Katipalla said that the police had arrived at my house late in the night to issue summons. "More than 50 people have been served with the notice. We are discussing with advocates over executing a bond as sought by the police. If a warrant is issued for our arrest, we are ready to go to jail for the cause of people. The scheduled protest will not stop at any cost. It will be a peaceful protest. The toll collection should end on October 18," he said.

While Dakshina Kannada JD(S) spokesperson Susheel Noronha condemned the serving of the notice to the agitating leaders in the late night. "Protest is not an anti-national act. For the past six years, several petitions have been submitted to the government against the toll collection. If the Centre and state governments have concern for the people, then they should stop toll collection immediately."

City Commissioner of Police N Shashi Kumar said that notices have been served to 16 people so far. "In the backdrop of some provocative calls and statements issued by some of participants of the proposed agitation, notices have been served to them as a preventive measure to appear before the DCP."

On the allegation of police visiting the house of Prathibha Kulai late in the night, the Commissioner said "privacy of every individual is to be respected, more so of women. I have asked ACP (North) Mahesh Kumar to enquire into the issue and submit a report to me. We have facilitated every democratic and peaceful protest or agitation of any individual organisations or party."