Karnataka Muslim organizations accuse police of harassment in terror probe

Muslim organizations in Karnataka have expressed anguish over the perceived harassment and victimization of the community by the police in the guise of investigations against terrorism.

A recent visit by a team of Corps of Detective (CoD) officials to Mansura Arabic College near Hassan in the state and the reported questioning of the college principal, teachers and even minor students has sparked off an outrage among the members of the Muslim community.

The Federation of Muslim NGOs has registered its protest and strong resentment against the terror probe, which has instilled a sense of fear and alienation in the minds of the Muslim community.

At a press conference in Bangalore, representative of the Federation and leader of Jamaat E Islami Hind, Bangalore, Saad Belgami told reporters many innocent Muslims and organizations have borne the brunt of the terror probe and the investigating agencies were “hell-bent on maligning the entire Muslim community”.

Expressing strong disapproval of the manner in which the CoD officials recently raided the Mansura Arabic College, Belgami said the officials not only interrogated the principal and the teachers, but also paraded students of standard V and VI and questioned them.

Though the CoD officials had visited the college on the basis of information that calls had been made to terror suspect Yahya Kammakutty, who had been arrested recently, Belgami said a mere telephone call should not warrant a police raid on an educational institution.

“The police should have conducted the investigations more discreetly and maintaining the confidentiality of the probe. Deliberately stories about the investigations are leaked to the press with the aim of maligning the entire Muslim community”, Belgami said.

The Federation of Muslim NGOs has accused a section of the police officials from the CoD, which is engaged in the investigation, of harassing Muslims to please the fascist forces. “Their behaviour clearly shows that they are more interested in creating hatred towards Muslims and vitiating the atmosphere in the State than finding out the truth”, he said.

Quoting media reports, Belgami said senior police officials have repeatedly clarified that there is no evidence of any terrorist outfit being active in Karnataka and that the police have not been able to establish any evidence to link the arrested Muslim youth to any terrorist group. He also cited the case of City-based doctor Mohammed Haneef, who was wrongly accused of terrorism by Australian police.

Representative of Bangalore Islamic Foundation Mateen told reporters that the terror investigations have forced many students to flee their homes and hostels. “People are clearing up their bookshelves so that there are no books on Islamic literature, lest they are hounded by the police”, Mateen said.