Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Dec 20: Under instructions from Dakshina Kannada district deputy commissioner, assistant commissioner of Mangalore, Prabhulinga Kavalikatti, on Sunday December 19, accompanied by other officials, visited the spot where a three-year-old child, Priyanka, had been brutally slain on Friday December 17 allegedly by Kamalaksha Purusha in an act of witchcraft.

Furious locals gave vent to their anger in his presence of the said official, in no uncertain terms, against the failure of the policemen. Mother of child, Anjali, who recollected the details of the gory death of her dear daughter, wept inconsolably. A few locals said that the policemen, who were on duty, had visited Kamalaksha and accepted the Prasadam offered by him. They suspected that Purusha had used his sorcery powers to ensure that they turned a blind eye to his act.

A neighbour complained that Kamalaksha used to pelt stones at her house often. “If our window doors are open, Kamalaksha or Chandrakala used to collect waste and add chilli to it before starting a fire. Because of strong, suffocating smoke emanating from this fire, we were compelled to keep the doors shut,” she said.

Another resident, Shashikala, felt that Chandrakala, who is claimed to be mentally unsound, is in good mental health. “She wears good clothes, visits beauty parlours, and comes home every day without fumbling. It appears she is enacting a drama to escape getting punishment,” she added.  Shobha Fernandes, a local, demanded for conducting an intensive search operation in the land belonging to this family, as disappearance of a child three months ago, and other clandestine activities are suspected to be connected with this family. The locals also urged the assistant commissioner to open the doors of Purusha’s shrine and conduct a search there. The official however, said that the policemen will conduct this operation.

Kavalikatti said that he had undertaken this visit as per the instructions of Karnataka State Human Rights Commission and Child Welfare Committee. He revealed that a report as to whether the incident occurred because of superstitions or some other reasons, has to be submitted within a week.

In the meanwhile, three persons, Sujeet, Roopan, and Durgesh, from Yeyyady, were arrested in connection with pelting of stones at Kadri police station relating to the death of the girl.