A restaurant belonging to the father of Hazra Shifa, one of the six hijab-wearing teenage girls whose petition is currently being heard in the Karnataka High Court, was vandalised on the night of February 21. Hazra Shifa’s elder brother, Saif, who was present at the restaurant at the time, was also attacked. The incident took place at around 9 p.m. in Udupi when a group of around 50 persons gathered at Bismillah Hotel, targeted the premises and attacked Saif, who is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital in Udupi.
Tweeting about the incident while tagging the Udupi police, Shifa said, “My brother was brutally attacked by a mob. Just because I continue to stand for My #Hijab which is MY RIGHT. Our property were ruined as well. Why?? Can’t I demand my right? Who will be their next victim? I demand action to be taken against the Sangh Parivar goons” (sic).
Speaking to mediapersons, Aseel Akram, president, Udupi District Unit of the Campus Front of India (which is the student affiliate of the Popular Front of India) said: “We [CFI] suspect the role of [Udupi] MLA K. Raghupathi Bhat. A proper investigation must be done and the criminals must be apprehended.”
Talking about the attack on the hotel and on Saif, Raghupathi Bhat said that he did not have information about the incident but stated that it could due to “personal enmity” of the victims. According to N. Vishnuvardhan, Superintendent of Police of Udupi District, a case has been registered under the Malpe Police Station limits and three persons have been arrested on February 22.
A three-judge bench of the Karnataka High Court began hearing the hijab case on February 10.
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