MANGALURU: After the state government withheld the Rs 10-lakh ex-gratia it had announced for the families of two people killed in a police firing during anti-CAA protests last month, the public in large numbers have chipped in to help them and several others injured in the incident.
Sources said people of Mangaluru and other parts of the country and even abroad have pooled in money. The donors were said to be shocked by the state government’s decision to hold back the ex-gratia announced for the families of Abdul Jaleel and Nausheen who were killed in the police firing and it made them aggressively take up the cause.
Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa had withheld the payment of the ex-gratia barely two days after it was announced, citing that the FIR on the incident named the two dead as accused.
The government had said the compensation would be released once their names are cleared.
K S Mohammed Massod, president of The Muslim Central Committee said the Chief Minister should have gone through the police report before announcing the ex-gratia. It was not right on part of the CM to announce it and then withhold it.
Sources said people belonging to all religions are coming forward to help the affected people. Former MLA BA Moiuddin confirmed that donors are coming forward to help the victims, but refused to divulge the amount collected so far. He said within a month, they will distribute the donations to the families of Jaleel and Nausheen and those injured in the incident.