Pics: Spoorthi Ullal

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Oct 16: Coordination committee of Dalit organisations has demanded for the immediate arrest of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader, Narayana Rai, who has been accused of raping a minor girl belonging to Dalit community who used to work in his farm in Badagannur village, Puttur taluk. The girl gave birth to a baby recently. The committee held a press meet in the city on Saturday October 16.

The family of the said girl used to work in the plantation owned by veteran RSS and BJP leader Narayan Rai, who also happens to be the convener of the managing committee of Gajanana High School, Ishwaramangala. The committee leaders said that Rai, who realised the helpless state of the girl's family, raped the girl and caused the birth of a child. "Narayan Rai's name was mentioned at the time of delivery but the medical officer and staff of Lady Goschen Hospital, under political and other influence, told the girl that the girl's elder brother's name is being heard in the case and obtained a false statement signed by her in order to protect Rai," the committee members claimed.

The committee also says that the Puttur rural police who visited the girl's family threatened to register a case and put them behind the bars if they mentioned Rai's name in the complaint. It said that the police in the first information report, mentioned the name of the accused as Pramod with the specific intention of saving Rai. They also accused the police of arresting the girl's brother, whose name is not found in the first information report.

"The girl, in her complaint to the district superintendent of police, objected to not mentioning Rai’s name in the first information report, after which case under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) and Dalit atrocity act has been registered against them. The police, who are expected to arrest the accused and produce him in the court within 24 hours, by not arresting the accused, have been trying their best to shield the accused," the committee stated in a press release.

The organization demanded for the immediate arrest of Rai, in-depth investigation by considering this as a special case, initiation of legal action against the Puttur rural police personnel, conducting DNA tests of the accused and the aggrieved girl. The leaders also warned that if there is delay in meeting these demands, the organization will arrange for holding a protest in front of Puttur rural police station at Sampya.

Leaders of the coordination committee, Ramesh Kotian, Ashok Konchady Raghu K Yekkar, Sarojini Bantwal, U K Girish Kumar, Anand Bellare, Sudhakar Boloor, Kamalaksha Bajal and Ganesh Sooterpete were present.