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December 18, 2008

Attacks & intimidation continue in Mangalore | PUCL Manglore president's wife injured in arson attack

OFFICE ATTACKED IN VALENCIA, MANGALORE
Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2008 13:56:46 -0500

17-December-2008

People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) office at Father Muller Road, Valencia, Mangalore-575 002, of which Shri. P.B. D’Sa is President, was attacked today at around 18:40 hours (06:40pm) and the entire office property was destroyed by miscreants of a known certain terrorist group here. The wife of Shri. D’Sa was grievously injured in the attack.

This is the same group under who’s leadership, attacked press and freedom of Kannada evening newspaper Karavali Ale of Shri. B.V. Seetharam, here lately.
The group has also threatened Shri. D’Sa not to support in any way, Shri. Seetharam and if he continued supported, they would eliminate Shri. D’Sa without hesitation.

Please help in fighting this sort of terrorism and communalism and restore Press Freedom in Mangalore.

Kindly extend your complete support and thankyou in anticipation for all help rendered.
sd./-
Prabhu P.A.
Member, PUCL
Mangalore
Dakshina Kannada District

News of today’s attack:
http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=54836


DGP Bangalore; IGP Western Range, S.P.D.K, This is an S.O.S. I refer to the telephone talk I had during the past one week with both of you and the personal meeting with the IGP regarding attack on “Karvali Ale” a popular Kannada daily wherein I have explained in detail how press freedom is seriously attacked in Dakshina Kannada. Events prove themselves that District Administration is hand in glove with the anti social elements who are behind the attack on the office of the owner and publisher of the paper, his distribution vehicles which were set on fire two days back as well as threat, intimidation and attacks on the pelty vendors selling his news paper There is no doubt in our minds that the Govt. run by BJP is a silent spector of the entire operation of the anti social elements who are a part of Sangha Parivar In one way or the other the main consiparators behind the continous attacks are identified by the “Keravali Ale” owner as a Swamiji who is involved in child lifting and a newspaper owner involved in several criminal activities. Comman man in Dakshina Kannada is under constant threat and fear. His right to life with dignity threatened and not protected by the govt in power Not only the owner of the newspaper and his family is denied the right to life and his right to carry on the profession of his choice but right to life of his workers and vendors is also denied this right unless drastic steps are taken by the concerned people to set right the law and order situation in Dakshina Kannada. Choos and anarchy has set in the city of Mangalore As the working president of a PUCL Karnataka a leading human rights organization in India I request all concerned to set things right and protect press freedom and reestablish right to life with peace and dignity of common man and more importantly the family, staff and vendors of the owners of the Newspaper “Karavali Ale”. Who are under grave threat of their lives and living. Copy of this email is sent to the press and Human Rights activists in India, to come to the rescue of Dakshna Kannada which is heading towards communal upheaval and bloodshed.
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For PEOPLE’S UNION FOR CIVIL LIBERTIES,K
P.B D’Sa
Working President