Mangalore pub attack: Renuka writes to K'taka CM

The Centre on Friday asked the Karnataka government to file cases under stronger laws against Sri Ram Sena chief Pramod Muthalik and the organisation's activists, who were arrested by the police ahead of Valentine's Day.

"The accused should be booked under stronger laws. Their bail should be cancelled also," Women and Child Development Minister Renuka Chowdhury said in a letter to Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa.

Quoting the findings of the high-level government team probing the attack on girls at a Mangalore pub, Chowdhury claimed that the general perception was that women were not getting proper protection from the local police.

The threats of Sri Ram Sena activists to hold protests on Valentine's Day shows that the law and order situation was deteriorating in Karnataka, she wrote in the letter.

"We have every reason to believe that the attack at Mangalore pub was premeditated. There was failure of intelligence mechanism," she said.

"The case should be assigned to a fast track court for speedy disposal of justice. It will build confidence in the police among women," she added.

The Ministry's investigation has found that no indecent and unlawful activities were going on in Amnesia Pub, where members of Sri Ram Sene beat up the girls on allegations of 'obscenity'.

The victims of the attack were outraged and were in a state of shock, Chowdhury said in her letter. The police need to file a chargesheet against the accused in this case, she said.

"I shall be grateful if you look into the matter and take appropriate step sto instill confidence among the people of Mangalore, especially girls," she wrote.