Dalit headmistress accuses upper-caste teachers of harassment

[email protected] (CD Network, Photos by Ahmed Anwar)
May 26, 2013

Mangalore, May 26: A case of a Dalit headmistress in a government school in Bantwal taluk being subjected to harassment by subordinate teachers belonging to a upper caste came to light at the monthly SC/ST grievance meet held at the Police Commissioner's office in Mangalore on Sunday.

Kamalakshi, headmistress of Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat Higher Primary School in Panelabarike at Pajeer village, levelled allegations of caste-based discrimination, maltreatment and harassment on Ramakrishna G and his wife Rashmi, who were both teachers in the same school.

Resident of Sajipa in Bantwal taluk, Kamalakshi told City Police Commissioner Manish Kharbikar that she had filed a complaint against Ramakrishna at Konaje police station in the month of February, along with the School Development and Monitoring Committee (SDMC) president, who was witness to the discrimination and harassment.

“However, having failed to cite names of witnesses in the FIR, the police have filed a B report on her. This is wrong, and should not have been done,” a Dalit representative told the Commissioner who assured to look into the matter.

Speaking to reporters, she said that she had been facing discrimination and mental harassment from July last year. “I have been the headmistress of the school for six years. The teachers Ramakrishna and Rashmi joined the school as assistant teachers in 2011,” she said, adding that Rashmi spoke and treated her in a demeaning manner, and also bullied her into resigning as the headmistress.

“I have also filed a complaint against her with the Block Education Officer,” she said.

Illegal sand mining

Representative Srinivas Shetty said that a Dalit member of Kuppepadavu gram panchayat Hariyappa Muthoor was abused using foul language and threatened by president of the gram panchayat Chandrahas Shetty last week, for his role in protesting against rampant illegal sand mining in the region.

“The struggle against illegal sand mining was even recorded and telecast on a Kannada news channel. Following the telecast, Chandrahas Shetty along with Dinesh Moolya, barged into his house late at night, and used foul language against Hariyappa and his mother. He even threatened to kill Hariyappa on the occasion. A complaint was filed at Bajpe police station along with details of the accused and his vehicle including registration no. However, the police did not take action against the accused, inspite of all details. Moreover, information was received that the accused was taken halfway to the police station and then let go,” he said, accusing the police personnel of not doing their duty.

He urged the Police Commissioner to take strict legal action against the accused. In reply, the Commissioner told him to clarify all aspects with the police officers at the station and assured him of a detailed probe into the issue.

'Increasing B reports filed on Dalit cases'

Dalit leader S P Anand pointed out to the Commissioner that several B reports were being filed on complaints registered by Dalits, mainly in Kavoor, Bajpe and Panambur police stations, and urged action.

The Commissioner clarified that only after scrutiny and notice to the complainant, were B reports filed, and assured him that the case would be subjected to re-investigation.

D Dharmaiah, DCP (Crime and Traffic) and M Muthuraya, DCP (Law and Order) were present.

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News Network
March 17,2024

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Beltangady, Mar 17: A three-year-old boy was crushed to death under the wheels of an auto-rickshaw in front of his house at Panakaje Mundadi in Belthangady taluk of Dakshina Kannada. 

The gut-wrenching tragedy took place on Saturday, March 16 morning when the boy ran out of home to the road. 

The victim has been identified as Kaushik, the son of Chandrashekhar and Usha couple. Their home is situated adjacent to the main road at Panakaje.

It is learnt that the auto-rickshaw failed to notice the boy who suddenly darted towards the road and hit him. 

Even though the injured boy was rushed to a private hospital in Ujire and later to Mangaluru, he breathed his last. 

The Beltangady traffic police have registered a case in connection with the incident.

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News Network
March 28,2024

An Indian expatriate, hailing from Dakshina Kannada district in Karnataka, who was detained in Jeddah jail in an alleged cyber case, was set free recently. He is allowed to continue his work in the same company. 

The 49-year-old Mangalurean, has been working for a Maintenance company in Jeddah for more than 13 years. He is known for his efficiency and sincerity in the company with good experience in his field of work. 

His company usually assigned him on duty in Jeddah sea port to take the delivery of the goods consigned to his company. As a part of his duty, he normally takes pictures of the goods before the transportation. He did the same in February 2023 too. 

The security personnel informed the police about his act that amounts to be a violation of the port security rule. He was unaware of the rule as he was doing it normally in the port during the release of the goods. Since then, he was detained by the police on the charge of photographing inside the port premises. After more than 6 months detention, he was released and allowed to work in the same company. 

The detainee’s brother based in Jeddah was constantly pursuing the case.

P A Hameed Padubidri, a pro-bono NRI lawyer and social worker based in Riyadh, extended his socio-humanitarian help in this case upon the request of his family and relatives. 

He actively involved trying to set him free from the jail on humanitarian grounds with the coordination and help of the Consulate General of India (CGI) Jeddah. The CGI keenly followed up the case with the concerned Saudi authorities. He was released from the jail recently and shared his happiness with his family and thanked good samaritans. 

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News Network
March 27,2024

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Gokarna (Uttara Kannada): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday said the Congress will decide about making him the Chief Minister in future, bringing to the fore again the issue of leadership change.

There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the Chief Minister's post after the Assembly election results in May last year, and the Congress had managed to convince the latter and made him the Deputy Chief Minister.

There were some reports at the time that a compromise had been reached based on a "rotational Chief Minister formula," according to which Shivakumar will become CM after two-and-half years but they have not been officially confirmed by the party.

During a temple visit here, a priest prayed that God's blessings may be showered on Shivakumar, and he became the Chief Minister.

Speaking to reporters here in Uttara Kannada district, Shivakumar, who has in the past made no secret of his ambition to become Chief Minister, amid speculations of change in guard mid-way of the Assembly term, responded to talk in some political circles about the leadership issue.

"What's wrong if a priest expresses his desire before God while praying? The priest has expressed his desire. Now Siddaramaiah is the Chief Minister, I'm working as Deputy Chief Minister under him, also as party's state President. People speak about it and desiring it (Shivakumar should become CM) is a different matter, it will be decided by our party," Shivakumar said.

"Now we are all working under the leadership of Siddaramaiah, and our desire is that the state should progress further under his leadership," he said.

"There will be people including supporters and priests, who pray for us, they will express their opinion. Can we stop them from doing it? At the temple it is between God and his disciple, they have expressed their feelings to God," Shivakumar added. 

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