Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (SP)
Kundapur, Jan 27: The owner of a provision store at Jadkal village in the taluk near Kollur reportedly had developed illicit relationship with a married woman who used to be a customer of his shop recently. Allegedly, the woman used to call the shop owner over phone frequently and succeeded in enticing him into falling prey to her ulterior plans. After the shop owner and his wife asked her to return over a lac of rupees that she had been able to siphon off from the trader, the lady with the help of her husband reportedly assaulted the couple.
Owner of Abhi General Store at Jadkal, Shekhar Poojary (40), and his wife, Girija Poojarti, suffered injuries in the incident and got admitted into the hospital here. Santosh Poojary and his wife, Malati, who also belong to Jadkal, have been accused of cheating the shop owner and beating him and his wife up.
Shekhar Poojary has been operating his shop at Jadkal since the last seven years, and his wife too used to help him to run the shop in his presence, and also when he was away. It is said that Malati, wife of school van driver, Santosh Poojary, had borrowed provisions worth about Rs 3,000 from Shekhar Poojary about four months back, promising to pay later. Thereafter, she used to call Shekhar over phone often and chat with him. In course of time, they became close. Malati, it is said, convinced Shekhar through her sweet talk into parting with a mixie, two cellphones, a gold ring and tailoring machine worth Rs 12,000. It is being claimed that she also visited his shop on an occasion and borrowed Rs 13,000 in cash, claiming that she needed money urgently.
After sometime, Santosh sought money from Shekhar to get the gold he had pledged in the bank. Shekhar expressed his inability, saying that he did not have money. Then Santosh is said to have collected Rs 23,000 in the denominations of old Rs 500 and 1,000 notes, duly promising to exchange them in bank and return to him, but failed to give the money back.
Malati continued to call Shekhar regularly, which came to the knowledge of Shekhar's wife, Girija. She called Malati and warned her against coming close to her husband, it is said. Angered by this development, Malati and Santosh hurled abuses at Shekhar's wife, and threatened to murder Shekhar Poojary, Girija and Shekhar said in a complaint filed by them in Kollur police station on Tuesday January 24. Angry that a police complaint was filed against them, Malati and Santosh stopped Shekhar and Girija on the road on Wednesday afternoon and beat up both of them, it is gathered.
Injured, Shekhar and his wife got admitted into the government hospital here. It is said that Malati and her husband came to the hospital too and attacked the couple again.
Kollur police, who have registered the case, are investigating the complaint.