Pics: Spoorthy Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (NM)

Mangalore, May 29: The district Congress unit staged a protest demanding immediate release of Lokkaya Poojary and suspension of the two constables of the excise squad here in front of Excise and Lottery Prohibition Squad, Bunder, on Tuesday May 29.

Poojary, Congress leader and ward committee president, was accused of storing illicit liquor in his house located in Mudanadugudu of Bantwal Taluk. It’s reported that he has been imprisoned at the district jail in the city for more than three days.

As per the complaint, Rajesh and Pradeep of Excise and Lottery Prohibition Squad raided his house and arrested him for selling illicit liquor.

Addressing the protestors, Ramanath Rai, Congress leader, condemned the arrest of Poojary. Rai said that Poojary was an honest party worker. “Disciplinary action must be taken against the two constables for misusing their power,” the former minister demanded.

Abhaychandra Jain, MLA, urged that the issue be treated seriously and also warned that he would take up the matter in the next legislative assembly meeting.

A memorandum claiming immediate action was submitted to DSP Vishwanath Pandith, Excise and Lottery Squad, and also to IGP Prathap Shetty.

After the protest, Rai along with other ministers visited district jail to meet Poojary.

MLA Vijay Kumar Shetty, Ivan D’Souza, Ashiwini Kumar Rai, KPCC Secretery, Mamatha Gatty, Mahila Congress president, Bondala Jaganath Bawa, MS Mohammed of Zilla Panchayat, Praksh Shetty, Melwyn D’Souza, Yashawanth Alva, corporators like Sashidhar Hegde, Naveen D’Souza, K Ashraf, Baskar Moily, and other Congress leaders were present at the protest.