Mangaluru: Members of the SDPI, the Mangalore Bar Association and the CPM staged protests at different locations in the city on Friday, before the cabinet meeting could resume at Praja Soudha in Padil. However, they were not allowed to reach the venue, and were detained by police.SDPI activists gathered near the Clock Tower in Hampankatta and attempted to display black flags to chief minister DK Shivakumar and the ministers. They also raised slogans against the govt. The protesters alleged that the state govt had failed to effectively present its case before the court, resulting in bail being granted to the accused in the murder of Abdul Rahiman Kolthamajal in Bantwal taluk. Police personnel deployed at the spot detained the protesters.Around 50 members of the Mangalore Bar Association were detained while attempting to march from the district court premises to Praja Soudha. The association had organised the march to demand the removal of the mobile phone jammer installed at the district prison in Bejai. Police stopped the march near Karangalpady and detained the participants.Meanwhile, CPM members organised a protest march from Bendoorwell Circle towards Praja Soudha and planned to submit a memorandum to chief minister DK Shivakumar. Police detained the protesters at Bendoorwell.The CPM demanded that the cabinet meeting address the pressing issues faced by the coastal districts instead of adopting policies that primarily benefit corporates and big investors. The party also opposed corporate-led public-private partnership models for development projects.Technical measures undertaken to reduce jammer impact: PriyankHome minister Priyank Kharge said that technical measures were being taken to reduce mobile network disruptions around the district prison in Mangaluru.Kharge said the govt had received complaints from the public, and that a joint technical survey had been conducted. Following the survey, the agency had taken steps to modify the antenna design and adjust the capacity of the jammers in accordance with the prison’s security requirements.Further technical measures were being taken in coordination with telecom service providers to minimise the impact of the jammers on mobile network services.“While prison security is important, public connectivity should not be unnecessarily disrupted. Technical measures are being taken to balance both,” Kharge said.
