Silvester D’Souza
Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (EP)
Kundapur, Oct 18: IGP (western range) Amrit Paul visited Kundapur police station on Saturday October 17 following a spurt of crime in the taluk.
Speaking to reporters, the IGP said that discussions regarding construction of a police station in the communally-sensitive Kandlur is in progress. "It will be approved by next year. Crime in the coastal region is not as serious as reflected in the media. The number of crimes is less than before. People, while sincerely trying to maintain peace, should join hands with the police," he said.
To a question about why traffic police have erected barricades on national highways and elsewhere which could cause accidents in the absence of reflectors, he assured that those will be set right in a week's time. "The government has taken steps to shift the women's police station in Kundapur to taluk centre, that is Udupi," he said.
"The police department has made preparations to control crimes completely in the days to come. All the pending cases from 2005 will be reopened and investigated with the help of the then police officers to make sure that all the accused are nabbed and punished. The police officials have taken suitable action in this respect. The citizens should co-operate with the police to maintain peace," he said.
On the mysterious death of Ratna Kottari last year, he said, "The Ratna Kottari case is being investigated from all angles. The department is ensuring that all the culprits in murder, rape, and theft cases are suitably punished. Police will provide security for school children and college girls in rural areas," he said.
SP Annamalai, additional SP Santhosh Kumar, DySP Manjunatha Shetty, and sub-inspectors of other police stations in the taluk were present.
SP visits Kandlur, instructs police to take stern steps
Udupi district superintendent of police (SP) Annamalai on the evening of Friday October 16 visited strife-torn Kandlur here in the aftermath of the attack on Dalit youths by a gang of a particular community on Wednesday October 14 night. After reviewing the sequence of events, he asks the police personnel to take strong steps to see that law and order situation remains in control in the region.
During the visit, the SP held impromptu discussions with leaders of the two warring communities after visiting Janata Colony and Kandlur which witnessed disturbances. "The observances of tenets and practices of particular religions depend on the personal choices of individuals. The police department will take stern steps against anti-social forces which try to disturb law and order situation in the society on frivolous reasons. Elders of all the communities should take an initiative to see that peace settles down in the region. They owe a duty of warning the younger members of the communities whenever they stray from the right path, and put in efforts to bring them back to the path of righteousness," he said. He also stated that his department would be taking steps within the legal framework of the department towards ensuring that harmony and peace settle down in Kandlur permanently.
The police took into custody another suspect relating to the incident of assault on Friday morning. The persons injured in the said attack are recovering. Deputy superintendent of police, M Manjunath Shetty, who has camped at Kandlur after the unsavoury incident of Wednesday night, has taken charges of the situation including monitoring off patrolling and keeping close watch on goings on.
Leaders of both the communities, who held discussions on the said incident, have decided to maintain social harmony and cordial relationship, duly noting that festivals and celebrations are lined up shortly. Tahsildar, Gayatri Nayak, also visited Kandlur.
Since the attack occurred, Kandlur has been wearing a deserted look since 7 pm every day, and an environment of undeclared curfew is evident everywhere. People in uniforms in considerable numbers can be seen in the town and other sensitive areas here. Senior police officers, patrol vehicles, personnel from other police stations, home guards, district armed reserve force, Karnataka state reserve police etc have been deputed to Kandlur to closely monitor the situation.