Daijiworld Media Network – Puttur (MS)
Puttur, Aug 22: A police investigation has revealed that the reported stabbing of a girl student at Kombettu Government PU College by a boy from a different community is likely a fabricated story. The police are now searching for the person who may have instigated the incident.
The incident came to light when a first-year PU student was admitted to the government hospital on August 20, claiming that she was attacked with a knife around 8:45 am by a classmate. The girl, accused a boy from a different community of attacking her, which quickly led to tensions and gatherings of people from both communities. The police detained the minor boy and his friend for questioning.
The girl with injury (file photo)
According to the girl’s statement, she was walking on Sridhar Bhat Shop Road when a boy, a fellow student, followed her and her friends. Frightened, she started running, but the boy allegedly approached her, professed his love, and, when she objected, slashed her with a blade. Initially, it was reported that a knife was used, but later, it was clarified that it was a blade.
However, police surveillance of CCTV footage from Sridhar Bhat Shop Road and the connecting road to Sri Mahalingeshwara Temple showed no trace of the girl’s movements as described in her statement. Instead, footage showed the girl getting out of an auto-rickshaw at Boluvaru and walking to the college. The accused boy was seen with his friend on Nellikatte Road, but there was no footage of the two being together at any point. This led the police to suspect that the attack story might be fabricated.
When confronted with the conflicting CCTV evidence, the girl claimed that the footage had been edited. Furthermore, some students reported that the girl did not have any injuries on her hand when she arrived at college in the morning, raising suspicion that the injury might have been self-inflicted later. The police are now trying to determine who inflicted the injury and why.
The boy has been released as no evidence supports the girl’s claim, though a case under the POCSO Act has been registered against him. Some have questioned the fairness of filing a case against the boy. Leaders of a right-wing organization have visited the boy’s family to offer support.
SP Yathish N stated that a thorough investigation is being conducted, and a report will be submitted to the court. He refrained from disclosing further details as the investigation is ongoing.
There are also allegations that the incident has been given a communal angle by certain vested interests, and the police are investigating whether any organization was involved in the act.