New Delhi, Mar 22 (UNI) Strongly condemning ''intimidatory tactics'' of the Karnataka police against a Mangalore-based newspaper editor at the behest of the transport mafia, the Editors Guild of India today demanded an independent inquiry into the complaints of harassment and intimidation.

Taking note of the complaint of Mr B V Seetharam, the Editor of 'Karavali Ale', about the treatment meted out to him and his wife after being dragged out of their house by a posse of policemen in Mangalore, the place of publication, Guild Secretary General K S Sachidananda Murthy said the police were enraged about the unmasking of their nexus with the transport mafia. They were re-arrested even after securing bail after a long wait of five days by the Shimoga district police and jailed again for five more days, he said.

Mr Murthy said the Guild had written to the Karnataka Governor, the Chief Minister and the Home Minister of the state to stop police harassment of Mr Seetaram and his wife and of the newspapers published by the Chitra Group. An independent inquiry must be held into the allegations against the police officials of Mangalore and Shimoga districts and punish the guilty, he sought.

UNI