Police had to resort to mild lathicharge to control the mob, which vented its anger against "detaining" their leader. The situation was brought under control after Mr. Ashraf was let off following intervention from the senior police authorities, including commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh.
Ashraf was taken for inquiry from his residence by the Assistant Commissioner of Police Ravindra Gadadi under the pretext of seeking information about the two accused in the sexual assault case Waheed and Mubarak, who have been absconding ever since a complaint was lodged against them.
The news of Ashraf's detention fuelled rumours that he had been arrested in connection with the rape case. People started gathering outside the police station demanding the release of the former mayor.
Congress leaders including MLAs U.T. Khader and Abhayachandra Jain, former mayor Shashidhar Hegde, KPCC secretary Ivan D'Souza, Muslim Central Committee president K.S. Mohammed Masood rushed to the police station and tried to calm the agitated supporters.
Commissioner Singh then held a meeting with the leaders of the party following which Ashraf was released. The protesters, however, stayed put and continued to vent their outcry against the disrespect shown to their leader. When the situation became more serious, police used force to disperse the restive mob.
Meanwhile, reacting to the incident, Mr. Ashraf claimed that he would have cooperated with the inquiry if he had been asked to come to the police station, instead of picking him up from his residence during the night.
“ACP RAvindra Gadadi came to my residence when a Maulood programme was going on. He asked me about the whereabouts of Waheed. When I said I did not know, he asked me to get into his jeep. When I said, I will come to the station on my own, he refused and forced me into his vehicle,” Mr. Ashraf said.
Waheed and Mubarak, two residents of Kandtpalli area, have been accused of repeated sexual assault on a 13-year-old daughter of a migrant couple. The police are on the lookout for the duo after a complaint was lodged in the Bunder police station on Saturday.
Condemned
Bunder Friends have expressed shock at the grisly crime and demanded strict action against the two accused who have been absconding.
"Waheed has been involved in a number of crimes and the facade of the social worker has now been brought down. The police should take stringent action against the criminals," the association said in a press release.
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