MANGALURU: A CPM delegation from Kerala which included CPM central committee member and former MP P Karunakaran, Rajya Sabha members K K Ragesh and K Somaprasad and MLAs M Rajagopalan, K Kunhiraman and former MLA C H Kunhambu, visited the houses Nauseen Kudroli, 23, and Jaleel Bengre,49, who died in police firing on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference, the delegation members demanded that the Karnataka government compensate the families of the victims adequately and bear the medical expenses of those injured in the violence that erupted during the protest against CAA. They also urged the government to order a judicial probe into the circumstances that led to police firing. “There was no reason for police to open fire, and those who died were not part of the protest. The police did not follow the guidelines with regard to police firing. How can they kill innocent people? A judicial probe should be conducted into the incident. Suspend the officials responsible for the police firing,” Karunakaran said.

He added that there is no evidence regarding allegations of people from Kerala instigating violence in Mangaluru.

“A CID probe will not help in bringing facts to light,” he added.

The delegation urged Karnataka ministers and people’s representatives from the ruling party not to make statements dividing people on the basis of language and states.

The delegation requested the government to preserve unity between the two neighbouring states and ensure protection for thousands of students studying in various colleges in the city.

Talking about detention of journalists from Kerala by the Mangaluru city police, MP K K Ragesh said that the freedom of the press was being curtailed.
“We are living in a democratic country and everyone here has the freedom of speech and expression under the Article 19(1)(a) of the Indian Constitution. However, the police has curtailed the freedom of press here by detaining journalists from Kerala,” he said.