Managlore pub attack: Govt sends enquiry team

New Delhi: Women and Child Development Minister Renuka Chowdhary has now sent an independent enquiry team to Mangalore. The team comprising Women's Development Joint secretary Kiran Chaddha and Undersecretary B K Rao will relook into the National Commision for Women's (NCW) assessment of the case.

Joint Secretary of Women and Child Development Ministry Kiran Chaddha has said that the main motive behind her visit to Mangalore is to check the security measures.

"I've come to see the premises and to check the security. We are waiting for the report from NCW," said Chaddha.

The move comes after NCW blamed the pub owner for not providing proper security to the women. The NCW had also held the pub owner responsible for the attack on the women.

The head of the NCW's fact finding commission, Nirmala Venkatesh earlier said the incident happened because of lack of security at the Mangalore pub and she's pushing for the license of the pub owner to be cancelled.

"We have visited the pub and there was no security. They haven't taken any security measures and there wasn't even a security guard there. The National Women Commission is going to recommend that the pub's license be cancelled," she had said.

Meanwhile, the Mangalore Police have now registered all the 28 Sri Ram Sene activists accused in the pub attack case as rowdy sheeters.

"All the 28 accused of Sri Ram Sene have now been registered as rowdy sheeters by Mangalore Police," said SP, Mangalore N Sathish Kumar.

The Sri Ram Sene activists accused for the attack and their chief Pramod Muthalik were freed on bail on Saturday.

A Mangalore local court granted bail to all 28 Sri Ram Sene (SRS) activists including Convener Prasad Attawar in the case. All the SRS activists were arrested for attacking young girls at a pub in Mangalore on January 24.

Muthalik has been given a conditional bail with the riders that he should not influence with prosecution witnesses.

The court also directed that Muthalik should not involve in such activities any more. He will also have to appear before investigation office Umesh Shet on the first Sunday of every month.

Muthalik described his release as a victory for the agitation against the pub culture.

"This is a victory for all those who are fighting against pub culture in Mangalore. Our agitation has won," said a defiant Muthalik.