Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Aug 20: State health minister, U T Khader, who noted that the younger brother of Gopalkrishna Gowda, who is the main accused in the case of severing the fingers of Sundar Malekudiya, a Dalit from Neriya in Beltangady taluk, has been arrested. He added that the district superintendent of police has decided to take steps to attach property standing in the name of Gopalrksihna Gowda if he continues to evade arrest.

Speaking during his visit to New Delhi on Wednesday August 19, Khader explained that in spite of best efforts, the district police have been unable to find the whereabouts of the accused as he has gone underground. 'We have asked district deputy commissioner and superintendent of police to provide all help to the victim and his family. I was taken aback to see that the palm and fingers of the victim had been sliced in zigzag manner with the help of weeding machine. Therefore, the doctors have expressed inability to join the severed parts. If the family is agreeable, we will arrange to provide advanced treatment by orthopedic specialists from Sanjay Gandhi Hospital at Bengaluru,' he explained.

The minister noted that a sum of Rs 80,000 had been sanctioned to Malekudiya by social welfare department. He promised to take steps to get more amount released from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.