Police Commissioner N. Shashi Kumar said on Friday that he had sought a report from Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Hariram Shankar on a WhatsApp group where burkha- and hijab-clad Muslim women going to malls, cinemas, and entertainment places were being threatened.
Mr. Kumar told reporters that the social media monitoring cell of the city police had found objectionable conversations in “Muslim Defence Force” WhatsApp group which has over 100 members.
In the group, women were being asked not to got to malls and places of entertainment with burkha and hijab. Parents were being asked to discipline their daughters. If parents failed to do so, then they (the group creators) would take up the task of disciplining such women. There were also conversations about life threats, he said.
Mr. Kumar said Mr. Shankar, who heads the cell, had been asked to study whether a cognisable case could be made out. “I will take legal opinion before initiating action,” the Police Commissioner said.
Meanwhile, the city police are awaiting a report from Facebook about “Manglore Muslims” Facebook page wherein derogatory posts on the murder of Bajrang Dal activist Harsha, RDPR Minister K.S. Eshwarappa and other communally sensitive posts had been found. The police suspect the posts were from individuals in Dubai and Kuwait.
Mr. Kumar said following controversial posts on Durga Parameshwari deity, the Ministry of Home Affairs ordered for taking down the “Mangalore Muslims” Facebook page in 2016. Some individuals had made a slight change to start “Manglore Muslims” page with the logo found on the earlier Facebook page. The police had questioned one person each from Udupi and Mulky, who liked the logo of “Manglore Muslims” Facebook page, he said.
