Moral policing against siblings and the battle of banners at Edavanna
Malappuram: Based on an incident that happened last Thursday, complaints of a moral policing attack on a student and her brother have been raised. The case was registered and investigations began based on the complaint lodged by Urangattiri residents, Fathima Shimla and her brother Muhammed Shinshad.
Edavanna police took up the case against Mundengara native Karim and four other of his acquaintances. Shimla, a degree student of the Vandoor Cooperative College, said that the moral policing attack happened when she was talking to her brother, while they awaited their bus at the Edavanna bus stand.
According to the complaint, Karim, a sculptor, insulted her modesty and threatened her by capturing a picture of the siblings on his mobile phone. Meanwhile, Shinshad alleged that others came and began beating and manhandling him as well as his friends.
Shimla and Shinshad also state that there was an attempt to frame them as guilty by destroying the sculpture installed at the Edavanna bus stand. The police have registered a case on the grounds of insulting the modesty of a woman and illegally capturing images on a mobile phone.
Edavanna Circle Inspector V. Vijayarajan informed that the statements of the complainants have been recorded and further probe will be conducted in the matter.
The flex banner war
Meanwhile, flex boards installed by a certain section of people at the Edavanna bus stand have become widely discussed. A banner titled, ‘A warning to students’ was installed in the name of a general public association.
The words on the banner dictate that obscene acts will not be tolerated in the bus stand and that if students are seen in the stand after 5 PM, locals will intervene and parents will be contacted.
A complaint against this flex is also filed in the Edavanna police station. As a response to this, another flex banner from the student’s side also appeared.
It was addressed to ‘morality upholding brothers’ that reminded them to keep a tab on their own children's phones. The banner also stated that student-fare for bus travel is valid till 7 P.M. It also goes on to say that no one has the authority to put up a board saying that students who stay after 5 P.M will be dealt with and morality committee members should remember that.
People took to social media to speak for and against both the flex boards. Meanwhile, police removed both the banners. However, flexes by the locals and students are appearing in plenty near the school and market premises.