Mangaluru City Police Commissioner PS Harsha on Friday said that the Kerala journalists were detained after they failed to produce their media accreditation cards. He added that they were later dropped at Kasargod police station.
"In a sensitive place, a few people claiming themselves to be media persons were asked to produce their accreditation cards which they failed to do. So, they were requested to arrange the same," the Police Commissioner told media here.
"We have written to Commissioner of the concerned government to verify whether persons whom we wanted to validate are genuinely accredited journalists. We went through that process. For safety, they were dropped at Kasargod police station," he added.
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Friday clarified that the Managluru police's action on some scribes was taken as the group did not have any Press ID cards and all were escorted to the Kerala border, once the police came to know that they were journalists.
He also stated that he will be visiting Mangaluru today to hold a meeting on the law and order situation.
"Ahead of yesterday's protest, police had questioned some people who didn't have a Press ID card. Once they came to know that they are journalists they were escorted to Kerala border. Some rumours had spread that 40-50 members were detained, that was false," the Chief Minister said.
Seven journalists were detained by Mangaluru Police on Friday amid protests over the amended Citizenship Act here and released later. Mangaluru South Police said all the detained journalists were released.
On Thursday, two people were killed in Mangaluru in the alleged police firing after protests against the new citizenship law turned violent despite prohibitory orders in the area.
The Act grants Indian citizenship to refugees from Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Parsi communities fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghstan, and Bangladesh who entered India on or before 31, 2014.
( With inputs from ANI )