Though the police have arrested those involved in the stabbing incidents reported on Monday and Tuesday, Ullal continues to remain tense after another youth was attacked on Friday evening even as a row over an appointment to the managing committee of Ullal Dargah Sharief spilled over to the streets.
As a result, Police Commissioner M. Chandra Sekhar clamped prohibitory orders on South and Central Mangaluru to avert any further disturbance. He told presspersons that the order was not intended to disturb normal life, but to avert any illegal assembly or procession. A few groups had sought police permission to take out a procession with regard to the dargah issue, it is learnt.
Dhanaraj (20), a resident of Church Road in Thokkottu and working as a chit fund collection agent, was attacked with lethal weapons on Friday afternoon by a gang of about five persons near Thokkottu Masjid. Dhanaraj was on his way to collect chit subscriptions. The assailants are said to have escaped with the victim’s two-wheeler even as Dhanaraj was taken to hospital for treatment.
Dargah committee
Differences of opinion over appointment to the post of president of managing committee of the Ullal Dargah came to the fore on Thursday night when two groups, one reportedly owing allegiance to outgoing committee president U.S. Hamza and the other to local MLA and Minister U.T. Khader clashed. The latter group reportedly got the dargah doors sealed with the help of Wakf officials even as supporters of the other group raised slogans against Mr. Khader.
On Friday, a mentally unsound person reportedly desecrated the tombs of Mr. Khader’s parents, U.T. Fareed and Naseema Farid, near the dargah.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (South) R.R. Kalyana Shetty said that no police complaint was made while Mr. Khader’s brother U.T. Ifthikar alleged that the other group instigated the mentally unsound person to commit the crime. However, Khader’s family has not filed any complaint.
A new committee was constituted duly electing Haji Abdul Rashid as president of the dargah committee on Tuesday, it is said.
However, the name of Bukhari was announced for the post the same evening, leading to a tiff within the community. The matter got settled with police intervention giving recognition to the duly elected committee.
Again the issue erupted on Thursday evening with supporters of both groups engaging in clashes.
