Kerala Minister seeks inquiry into detention of journalists

Trivandrum: Kerala Revenue Minister E Chandrasekharan on Friday said that he has asked the state chief secretary to contact the Karnataka government and conduct an inquiry into the detention of journalists from Kerala following protests in Karnataka’s Mangaluru city over newly amended citizenship law.

“Once I received the information that Kerala journalists including those from Kasaragod have been taken into custody by Police in Mangaluru, I asked Kerala chief secretary to contact Karnataka government and conduct an inquiry into it,” Chandrasekharan told ANI.

Two persons were killed while 20 police personnel were injured after a protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act in Mangaluru turned violent yesterday.

The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) said that stones were pelted at a bus depot and a passenger was injured and a vehicle got damaged.

Following the unrest, the district administration ordered the suspension of internet services for 48 hours starting from 10 pm last night.

Protests have intensified in several parts of the country after the Parliament gave the nod to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, which became an Act after getting assent from President Ram Nath Kovind.

Section-144 has been imposed in various parts of the state in view of the prevailing law and order situation.

The Act grants Indian citizenship to refugees from Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Parsi communities fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh who entered India on or before December 31, 2014.