A massive protest was held on Friday in Mangaluru demanding justice for Masood and Mohammed Fazil, who were hacked to death by members of right-wing groups. The protest was organised by over 20 organisations under the umbrella of the Muslim United Forum Surathkal.
Thousands were seen raising slogans against the BJP government’s discrimination in providing compensation to victims’ families and demanding stringent action against the murderers of Masood and Fazil.
Masood (18) was brutally assaulted by eight members of the Bajrang Dal in July this year and later succumbed to his injuries in a Mangaluru hospital.
Fazil was hacked to death in Surathkal, Mangaluru on July 28. The police investigation found that Fazil was murdered as part of a conspiracy following the murder of BJP youth leader Praveen Nettaru.
Friday’s protest was triggered after a district court in Mangaluru on Thursday granted bail to Harshit, a 28-year-old man who was arrested for sheltering the seven main suspects in the murder of Fazil.
Fazil’s father Umar Farooq said that his son was innocent and murdered despite having no connection with any organisation. “No one’s child should be murdered like this. Fazil’s murder accused gets bail and we are waiting here for justice”.
“Neither the district collector nor the chief minister visited our home,” he added.
“The curse of people will haunt the chief minister if he cannot ensure justice to Masood and Fazil’s families. To uphold respect and dignity of the state, I request our chief minister and home minister to immediately resign from their posts,” Ustaad Yakoob Sa’adi said in his speech.
Accusing the government of “bias” for providing compensation to the family of Praveen Nettaru, AK Ashraf, Popular Front Karnataka State Secretary demanded compensation to the families of Masood and Fazil. “We have not come here for begging, it’s our right and we demand it,” Ashraf said.
“The accused in Fazil’s murder case who gave shelter to the murderers got bail within 26 days from the court where IPC- 302 section was slapped on him. It is a complete failure of the police department in submitting a proper investigative report to the court,” he said. He questioned the handing over of Nettaru’s case to the NIA, while Masood and Fazil’s case was given to the local police.
The protestors submitted a memorandum to the Governor of Karnataka through the District Collector, demanding compensation to the families of Masood and Fazil, and that their case be handed over to the NIA for investigation.
