Hubballi violence accused surrenders

By NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Moulavi Wasim Pathan, the main accused in last Saturday’s violence in Hubballi, surrendered before police on Thursday.

According to sources, police are currently questioning Pathan about his role in the violence.

Hours before his surrender, Pathan released a video in which he denied any involvement in the riots.

"I was in fact asked by the police to pacify people and bring the situation under control after angry mobs confronted the cops following a defamatory social media post,” he said in the video.

“People had gathered in front of the police station to file a complaint. Seeing the situation unfold, I was called to talk to those gathered. I spoke to the police as well. I was told by police to climb atop a police vehicle, talk to them and ask them to return to their homes. I did not provoke them,” he said, referring to a purported video taken on Saturday night in which he was seen standing atop the police commissioner’s vehicle.

This led to allegations that he had instigated the mon. Following the incident, the Maulvi had gone into hiding.

“I am being projected as the mastermind of the violence. It is a conspiracy against me. It can be observed that suddenly lights were switched off and some people with their faces covered started hurling the stones. I trust the police and the Constitution,” he said.

Court allows Abhishek to write PUC exam
The number of people arrested in connection with the violence rose to 126, the police said on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) court on Thursday permitted 20-yearold Abhishek Hiremath, whose social media post stoked a riotlike situation at Hubballi, to attend the Pre-University College examinations, beginning on April 22.

Abhishek will be given textbooks to prepare for the examinations and will be escorted by the police to the examination center. mmer showers in Karnataka have reduced the yield and quality of onions and has led to decreased procurement. The state’s farmers were under pressure due to the glut in the market caused by onions from Maharashtra that had driven down prices before heavy rains changed the situation. Now the rains may result in scarcity and could arrest the falling prices of onion but consumers may have to shell out more. market caused by onions from Maharashtra that had driven down prices before heavy rains changed the situation. Now the rains may result in scarcity and could arrest the falling prices of onion but consumers may have to shell out more.