Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (SP)
Puttur, Sep 2: An attempt was made on the life of Rajesh Perigeri, an auto rickshaw driver by profession and convener of local unit of Bajrang Dal, on the evening of Tuesday September 1. Some people led him to Kapikad in Volamogru village from the town in the guise of hiring his three-wheeler, and made an effort to kill him by smothering him by constricting his neck.
Two unidentified men approached Rajesh when he was waiting for customers near the city bus stand here, and asked him to drop them off at Kapikad. Rajesh took them to Kapikad. As soon as the auto rickshaw reached a deserted spot in Kapikad, a gang of five masked persons that was waiting at the spot, with the support of the two who had come by the vehicle, attacked Rajesh. They reportedly tried to kill him by pressing his neck tight. These seven persons also snatched away the key of the auto rickshaw and cellphone from Rajesh's possession.
Rajesh somehow escaped from their grip, ran through forests and reached Kumbra and then Puttur. The rural police station personnel reportedly refused to register the case, sighting the fact that his vehicle had been hired at the city bus stand. Rajesh got admitted into a private hospital in the city, and informed Bajrang Dal cadres after recovering from the shock.
A delegation comprising Bajrang Dal leaders like Muralikrishna Hasantadka, advocate, Madhava Poojary, Dinesh Kumar Jain and president of Sneha Sangama Auto Rickshaw Owners and Drivers Association, Nellikatte Jagadish Shetty, who also happens to be a city councillor, led a delegation of Bajrang Dal activists and auto rickshaw drivers to the city police station here and explained about the above developments.
The delegation then went to the rural police station, as they were directed there because the spot of the attack falls within their jurisdiction. A case was thereafter registered there.
It is thought that this attack was related to a pre-existing enmity relating to the allegation that an attempt to kidnap a woman named Nausheeda had been made in the city. The incident had occurred two years back. Later, it transpired that this was a fake complaint. As tension had mounted in the town on account of this misinformation, and because some attacks had taken place based on this rumour, Rajesh had sought information from the police department under right to information act.
This had angered the leaders of an organization, it is said. Many believe that the current incident of attack was backed by those who got angry over the initiative undertaken by Rajesh to dig out more information of the fake abduction case.