Mangaluru: Hindutva activists thrash youth for embracing Islam

Mangaluru, Sep 18: A 24-year-old youth from Sullia in Dakshina Kannada (Mangaluru) district, who has accepted Islam on his own will, was reportedly thrashed earlier this week by a group of miscreant belonging to Hindutva organizations for turning down their demand of returning to Hinduism.thrash Satish Acharya, a resident of Mavamjadka in Mandekolu village in Sullia taluk, had changed his faith more than a year ago when he was working in Kerala. A certificate issued by Therbiyathul Islam Sabha of Kozhikode on April 15, 2015 stated that Sathish had changed his name to Muhammed Mustakim following his four-month stay at the sabha. Even after conversion, Satish continued to stay with his family members and took care of his parents. Even though it was an internal matter of his family for one year, recently a few local Hindutva leaders came to know about the about his change of faith and reportedly threatened him. Nearly three weeks ago a group of Hindutva activists had staged a protest in his village demanding a probe into his conversion. On Thursday a local politician had planned to visit Satish at his home. When he came to know about this, he decided to avoid meeting with political leaders left home. Some local Hindutva activists, who came to know that Satish was travelling in his Maruti Omni, began to chase him and waylaid his vehicle near Murooru bridge. The activists threatened and thrashed him. A local policeman, who reached the spot tried to settle the issue amicably. Satish, who was admitted to KVG hospital in Sullia, identified one of the assailant as Karunakar. However, no case has been registered.