Mangalore: SC/ST communities allege police of bias and apathy

Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (DV)

Mangalore, Mar 3: The members of the Baira Samaja expressed their concerns over alleged atrocities and police apathy towards them, during the monthly SC/ST grievance meeting held at superintendent of police office here on Sunday March 3.

Addressing the meet, Gopal Kadumutt, state legal authority member and honorary president of Baira Samaja said that on February 4, a person from the backward community identified as Sandeep was going by bus, when four people waylaid the bus, pulled him out and thrashed and verbally abused him. The culprits were identified as Sunil, who was an employee in the bus, and Sujith, an auto driver.

"However, when we went to complain with the Bantwal police, they did not accept it. They told us to remove the words 'caste discrimination' and 'attempt to murder' and only after we did so, they accepted the complaint. It was midnight by the time we filed the complaint," Kadumutt said.

"The police finally arrested Sunil on February 18 and produced him in the court, but he was granted bail the very next day. Similarly, Sujith too was arrested and granted bail within a day. How can this be possible?" he said, alleging that the police did not perform their duty.

"The Baira community will never hurt anyone's sentiments, but these days atrocities against us is increasing. Such incidents should never repeat," he urged.

Shashidhar K, a prominent leader of ST community and president of Vittal Intuc, also questioned police action in the matter and demanded to know why the police took so long to arrest Sunil and Sujith.

Koragappa Singara, Bantwal Baira Samaja president alleged, "When we went to complain at the Bantwal police station, it was looking like a bar and the constable was claiming that he himself was the SP. Also, the police were getting calls from one Bhat regarding the matter."

Responding to the complaint, DySP Sadananda Warnekar assured that he would look into the matter. He also explained that the accused could get bail easily as the words 'attempt to murder' and 'caste discrmination' had been removed.

In another complaint, Koraga community district president Shashikala said that Dinesh Gowda, who was accused of trying to rape a girl in Sullia four months ago, had not been arrested yet. "There are only about 6000 people of Koraga community in the district. If the police do not protect us, who will?" she questioned.

Sullia circle inspector assured her that the investigation in the case are on, and that the accused has been absconding. "We are trying to catch him, and will arrest him soon," he assured.

The SC/ST members in the meeting also alleged that if a dalit were to commit a crime, police barge into his house in the night without lady constables and conduct thorough searches, but when it comes to people of other communities, the police do not bother.

S P Ananda, president of Dalit Sangharsha Samiti raised the issue wherein a girl in Venur, Beltangady had falsely charged her mother and two others of torture. Sannappa, who belongs to Dalit community, had given his room on rent to a Keralite. The girl who was a neighbour and the Keralite had an affair. However, when her mother intervened in the matter along with Sannappa and a neighbour identified as Raghu, the girl accused them of torturing her. Ananda claimed that they had only tried to advise her and did not harass her in any way, and that her complaint was baseless.

Ananda urged the DySP to look into this matter, and the latter assured of doing so on his visit to Venur.

Ananda also urged for quick and thorough investigation into the recent alleged rape and murder case in Kalladka, where 22-year-old Soumya was found dead. "There are rumours that the crime was committed by more than one person and that at least three or four people were involved. The police should investigate the case thoroughly," he urged.