Haveri: As many as 22 persons including 14 Muslims who were arrested for the communal violence that broke out during Ganesha festival in Hangal Taluk in Haveri district have been released by the Hangal court on bail.

Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) has been playing a prominent role for the release of poor Muslim youth. Secretary of APCR Hangal unit Yasir Arafat including other lawyers were following the case to get the bail right from the beginning.

At the time of releasing from the district Haveri jail, General Secretary of APCR Karnataka chapter Advocate Niyaz Ahmed, Muhammad Fazal Bengaluru, relatives and friends were present outside jail to welcome their respective people.

APCR's Hirur visit: 

The APCR team led by Advocate Niyaz Ahmed, on Saturday, paid a visit to the violence-hit Hirur region in Hangal to study the current situation in the region. They also visited the mosque, which witnessed stone pelting in the riot.

There was a lot of fear among the people of violence affected area. Advocate Niyaz Ahmed assured them that they no more need to be afraid of anything and promised every kind of legal aid from APCR. He introduced them about the role of APCR, saying that this team consists of legal experts, who works to works to provide legal aid to poor and innocent people.

It can be recalled that on 18th September, a communal violence broke out between two communities during Ganesh festival, where it resulted in stone pelting on one another, and as a result, police had arrested around 22 people by allegedly entering into the house. In this connection, they also alleged that the police had made entry into the houses and even beat women badly, including a pregnant woman in one of the houses. The injured were treated at Haveri govt hospital later.

As the news of violence appeared in media, the APCR team from Bengaluru immediately rushed to Haveri and spoke with the injured in hospital. They also met the accused in the jail and had assured of providing every possible legal aid.

The team later met the district SP and expressed their outrage over the police personnel who acted badly with the women, especially with the pregnant woman and demanded severe action against those cops.

However, after the release, it looks like Muslims in the area have taken a breath of satisfaction and have thanked APCR for their great service.