Mangalore : The District Committee of the CPIM staged a protest in front of the DC office demanding the immediate arrest of all those responsible for the brutal attack on the party leader BM Bhat.

Speaking on the occasion, District CPM Secretary B Madhava said BM Bhat who fought for the cause of the landless people and joined them in their fight for government sites, was attacked allegedly by some BJP men during a protest staged for the cause of the landless at Belthangady recently.

He said the assailants have not been arrested owing to political influence and added the incident proved that the BJP government was using force to suppress agitation.

He said the party would intensify its agitation if the   culprits were not arrested at the earliest.

Several party leaders including Vasanth  Acharya, Balakrishna Shetty, Yadav Shetty, Krishnappa Salian, DYFI District President Muneer Katipalla and others took part in the protest.