Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB/SP)

Udupi, Nov 22: Udupi District Jewellers' Association organized a press meet here on Friday November 21 to express displeasure and anger at what they termed as 'high-handedness' of the police in detaining some jewellers over buying stolen gold and allegedly committing atrocities on them illegally. They wanted the case to be entrusted to investigation by criminal investigation department (CID).

Secretary of Karnataka State Jewellers Federation, Dr Ramacharya, and district association president, Jaya Acharya, insisted that they have no objection in the action of the policemen in recovering gold from those to whom the thieves entrusted gold ornaments stolen by them, and hand over the same to those from whom they were stolen. They, however, condemned the police action in illegally confining jewellers who were honestly carrying on their trade, and physically assaulting them.

They named police circle inspector, Srikant, and police sub-inspector, Rajgopal, as responsible for forcibly taking away gold from two jewellery shop owners from the town. They said that on November 11, the policemen, alleging that these two jewellers had bought gold ornaments from some thieves, had arrested them, beaten them up, and posed death threats to them. "Besides this, the two were forced to part with 500 grams of gold and cash. Both of them suffer from different ailments including diabetes," Ramacharya added.

Ramacharya claimed that the two thieves, Manjunath alias Manju, and Manjunath alias Amudalli Karwar, were from Tamil Nadu. He added that two jewellers from the town were forced to part with keys to their shops at midnight. After collecting keys, gold items were robbed from their shops at will, besides cash, claiming these items as stolen ones.

"The policemen know that the thieves had sold ornaments stolen by them in Tamil Nadu. Beingunable to go to that state in searchofornaments, the policemen sought to harass poor jewellers to part with gold," he alleged.

He also alleged that the police were not allowing the presence of association members during seizure of jewellery or other proceedings.

"Police detained Gangadhar, owner of Thirumala Jewellers, a diabetic. Other items recovered from shops of jewellers that day were usurped by police personnel. There is foul play in police operations," he charged. He said that human rights commission and department of home have been approached for justice.

He further said that the jewellers have requested the court to entrust the seized items back to them, as the items confiscated are backed by records, and are not stolen goods. He added that members of his association, in tune with a decision earlier taken, have not been entertaining any transactions involving stolen items.

Advocate,Madhava Acharya, who was also present at the press conference, said that the police had threatened the jewellers of fixing them in gold mafia cases. He took strong objection to this behaviour of police,which he said,violates human rights.

The members of the association unanimously demand to hand over the case to criminal investigation department, he said.

Yogish Acharya, owner of New Mangala Jewellers, Mohan, joint secretary, and others were present on the press meet.