Daijiworld Media Network - Madikeri (SP)
Madikeri, Feb 11: The investigating officer appointed to look into the death of Vishwa Hindu Parishad's Kodagu district organizing secretary, Devapanda Kuttappa, during the disturbances relating to Tipu Jayanti in the town filed charge sheet in the court on Wednesday February 10. The charge sheet has concluded that this death was not accidental, and that he was murdered.
In spite of popular opinion against it, the state government had instructed the district administration to organize Tipu birth anniversary celebrations here on November 10 last. After tempers frayed between two communities, situation worsened, and two persons, Devapanda Kuttappa and Shahul Hameed, had died on that day during disturbances.
Town police circle inspector, I P Medappa, who was the investigating officer looking into Kuttappa's death, in his charge sheet filed in the principal civil and JMFC court here, has brought the case under section 304 in place of 302 applied earlier. Murder-accused have been named as T A Khalid (38) from Netaji Nagar, V A Gafoor (36) from Nellihudikeri, K Y Razack (27) and P M Ashraf (29) belonging to Tyagattur, C T Faizal (26), B S Akbar Ali (21) and B A Shamsheer (22) from Nalvattekre, Saifuddin (20) from Ponnatmotte, and Hameed (26), a resident of Guhya village.
Among the accused, Khalid, Abdul Gafoor, K Y Razack and C T Faizal are in judicial custody while the other five are absconding.
Dali, son of Kuttappa, had filed complaint in the town police station here against the organization which had supported Tipu Jayanti celebrations and also leaders of some political parties. The report now says that involvement of Amir Sohail (19) from Arekadu Netaji Nagara, K K Latif (18) from Tombattumane Paisari, Muslim Union president, Abubakkar, SDPI district president, Ameen Mohsin, general secretary, Fazalulla, municipal standing committee chairman, Mansoor, Tipu Sene state convener, Hafiz Sagar, leaders like Sanaulla and Khaleel, who were named in the first information report, in the crime has not been estan;osjed as they were not present at the spot oat the time of crime.
The policemen had put together video clips from the spot taken by police, media, and members of general public, before coming to conclusion on this death. On the basis of video clippings, six accused were arrested and they have also been named in the first information report filed. "When a group was proceeding in a procession towards General Thimmaiah Circle, accused suddenly entered the hospital gate, moved ahead duly pelting stones, unlawfully assembled there, and attacked Kuttappa, who was standing there after surrounding him with hands and stones. Kuttappa, when trying to flee, fell into a cement drain 18 feet down, and died out of severe injuries suffered at the middle of his head," the report has stated.
Three stone pieces, blood-stained mud, mounds of earth, a cellphone, a brown coloured plastic diary, senior citizen's card issued to Kuttappa, and a blue pen were recovered from the spot of Kuttappa's death.