Mangaluru : The Mangaluru City police have registered 12 cases against unauthorised moneylenders in the past four-five days.

While some cases were registered based on complaints, some were done suo motu , said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Shantharaju on Sunday.

He was presiding over a grievance redressal meeting for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes here. Responding to a suggestion from Dinappa Bangera, to act suo motu against moneylenders, Mr. Shantharaj said they were doing so. Mr. Bangera said many were afraid to come out openly against unauthorised moneylenders.

S.P. Anand, district convener of the Karnataka Dalit Sangharsha Samiti, complained about continuation of a home-based food making unit in a Dalit colony in Urva in the city despite the Mangaluru City Corporation ordering its closure.

The unit uses cashewnut husk as the fuel and was causing air pollution. He said the proprietor of the unit, Uday Kumar, had been threatening complainant Purushottam and issuing death threats.

He had even filed a police case against the complainant.

The DCP said the jurisdictional police inspector would take suitable action in consultation with the MCC.

Another participant complained about safety threats being faced by Dalit women who work as daily wage workers for the Railways at the Central Railway Station. He said about 40 Dalits work as daily wage workers undertaking house keeping and other works.

Those on the night shift have to complete the work by 11 p.m. While returning home, Dalit women are abused by drunkards on their way back and he sought suitable directions to the contractor as well as the Railways.

Mr. Shantharaju said he would bring the matter to the notice of the Railways.