Puttur ASP to file criminal complaint against MP Kateel

Mangalore, February 6: Puttur Assistant Superintendent of Police Amith Singh who is accused of assaulting BJP leader and Chairman of Bantwal Urban Development Authority (BUDA) has decided to file a criminal complaint against Mangalore MP Nalin Kumar Kateel and Puttur MLA Mallika Prasad and others for intimidating his family, while he was away on duty on January 31.

On that day, between 10.30pm and midnight, about 200 BJP workers led by Mallika Prasad gheraoed the ASP's house and shouted slogans after Singh allegedly slapped BUDA Chairman Govind Prabhu for interfering in police investigations at Bantwal station.

Amith Singh said that he had informed his superiors of the incident and also made an entry at the police station. “Now I have decided to file a complaint and inform the SP and IGP, requesting them to do the needful,” he said without indicating when he would do so.

Regarding whether MP Kateel was at the venue, Singh said he had photographs to show that Kateel was in the gathering. He also said plastic water bottles, thrown by the protesters, were found in his compound.

SP AS Rao said as the ASP had not filed the complaint and they had not conducted investigation into the incident. “We will take up the matter when a complaint is filed,” he said. “A gathering of 200 persons, especially when only ASP's wife was at home is intimidation. We view it seriously. It has never happened in the district,” the SP said.

He said the proper place to register protests should be at the place of work and not at an officer's residence that too when he is not in the house.

Background:

Some persons had stoned a Masjid in Bantwal police station limits during the January 22 bundh. But, when the police who gathered information of the accused decided to arrest them, a few BJP leaders prevented them saying they themselves would produce the accused before the police station. When the BJP men failed to keep up their promise, the cops had dragged to the station four persons, two each on January 30 and 31 respectively.

Soon, BJP leaders Govind Prabhu and Harish Acharya arrived at the station and pressurised the cops to release the accused. But, ASP Amith Singh who was present at the station, refused to budge to the demand, resulting in the BJP men staging a protest accusing the officer of attacking their leader. On the evening of January 31, over 500 BJP men gathered outside the Bantwal Rural Police Station and demanded the suspension of Amith Kumar Singh. A protest was staged even in front of the residence of the ASP at Puttur. MP Nalin Kumar Kateel and Legislator Mallika Prasad too took part in the protest.