Byra community members from across the district attended the meet in large numbers and lambasted the Bantwal police for the manner in which the assault on their fellow community youth Sandeep (22) of Manchikatte has been handled by them.
Bringing the details of the aftermath of the assault to the notice of Sadananda Varnekar, DySP, DK, who chaired the meet in the absence of Abhishek Goyal, SP, DK, Shashidhar K of Bantwala Taluku Byra Samaja Seva Sangha said that Sandeep, who works as a cleaner in a bus, was assaulted by a certain Sujith and three others from the same village on February 4. When Sandeep and his father Srinivas approached the Bantwal police, their complaint was not accepted, he said. When members of the Sangha approached the Bantwal police station later that night to get the complaint registered, personnel at Bantwal police station refused to accept the complaint of the assault and insisted on striking off details such as 'lethal assault' and atrocity against SC/ST from the complaint, Mr. Shashidhar added.
“The constable said he has received a phone call from 'Mr.Bhat', and asked us to strike out details such as atrocity on SC/ST and lethal assault from the complaint. The officers who were drunk misbehaved with us. The complaint was not accepted by Bantwal police till late in the night until the PSI intervened”, he said.
Members of the Byra community also alleged the Bantwal police of succumbing to political pressure and demanded an explanation for the delay in arrest of the culprit.
“The incident took place on February 4 but the arrest was made on February 17. The accused has also come out on bail. In spite of the case bearing a mention of being an 'atrocity' case, the bail copy obtained from the court has no mention of it. How can that happen?” Mr. Shashidhar asked.
The DySP assured the agitating members of the Byra community of looking into the case again.
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