Daijiworld Media Network - Beltangady (SP)
Beltangady, Jun 23: The magisterial inquiry being presided by Puttur assistant commissioner Dr Harish Kumar continued on Monday June 22. 22 persons appeared in person to record their evidence on Monday, while eight submitted written statements. Video copies of the incident were also handed over to the presiding officer.
Most of the witnesses reiterated that the drunken state of the Andhra Pradesh policemen was the main reason behind the firing incident. One of the witnesses named Jinaprasad claimed that the Andhra Pradesh policemen accused the local policemen of accepting bribe and used filthy language against them. Another man, Dhanakeerti, felt the local policemen were to blame for the incidents that occurred after the firing.
On the occasion, the revenue department disbursed compensation to those who were injured in the incident. Bhaskar, brother of one of the injured Udaya, complained to the assistant commissioner that the revenue department officials have been demanding for the production of permanent disability certificate to be able to disburse Rs 15,000 sanctioned to him. The presiding officer clarified that under the current rules pertaining to religious disturbances and crowd disturbances, this was the maximum amount payable. "This is the immediate compensation and more compensation if any, may be obtained from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund," he informed, adding that he would speak to the tahsildar about the certificate being demanded.
The assistant commissioner, speaking to reporters, said that others linked to the incident will be heard at the hearing scheduled on July 3 by issuing summons and visiting the spot.
On Monday, western range inspector general of police Gopal Hosur too held a separate inquiry into the Dharmasthala firing incident that occurred on May 1 this year, at the local police station. Eye witnesses and injured persons Bhaskar, Jinaprasad, Mahalinga, Umanath shetty, Babu, Sudhakar and Tammanna recorded their statements. Two drivers of the goverment buses that were used to transport the policemen also appeared as witnesses. Head constable Sheenappa Gowda of Dharmasthala police out post, constables Chandrashekhar and Rajesh were the others who appeared before the IGP.
During the hearing by the IGP, KSRTC bus drivers said that the firing was caused by the mob that went berserk. This is contrary to what the eyewitnesses have been claiming at the magisterial inquiry so far. They said that after the verbal altercation which occurred after the cricket ball hit one of the Andhra Pradesh policemen, the local people assaulted the Andhra Pradesh policemen. When the friction showed signs of abating and the policemen were about to leave in their vehicles, the people blocked the vehicles and threw stones at them. As soon as there were indications of the buses getting torched, the policemen resorted to caning. As the people got angrier and stone throwing intensified, they fired at the feet of the people. The policemen were not at fault, both the eyewitnesses insisted.