Police accused of ignoring cases of atrocities against SCs and STs

Mangalore, April 30: Members of Dalit organisations on Sunday accused Urwa police of not registering cases of atrocities on people from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Participating in a meeting convened by police to address the grievances of Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes people, Sadashiva of Urwa Stores alleged that the Urwa police had not been registering cases of assault on Dalits.

“There are about five cases of assault in our SC/ST colony in Boorgudda. But not a single case has been registered with the police. These cases of atrocities do not even reach the police inspector, the circle inspector, or the Assistant Commissioner of Police,” he alleged. Mr. Sadashiva said one such incident occurred when he and S.P. Anand, a Dalit leader, were in the chambers of the Urwa Police Inspector a few days ago. A youth from the SC/ST colony had been assaulted. The persons, who had assaulted, came to the police station and a head constable took an undertaking and sent them away. “No complaint was registered,” Mr. Sadashiva said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) D. Dharmaiah, who chaired the meeting, said he would enquire the Urwa Police Inspector about the incident. Mr. Dharmaiah asked Dalit leaders to bring all such cases of atrocities and assaults to his notice. “It will help us to initiate appropriate action,” he said.

Suspect of murder

Mr. Anand asked the police to expedite investigation into the death of 16-year-old Sanket, an employee of a poultry store in Kulashekara, because of food poisoning. Mr. Anand said family members of Sanket suspect the death to be a murder. Sanket's cousin Dharmesh later told The Hindu that he had spoken with Sanket on the night of March 14. “He was found dead when I came to the store at 5.30 a.m. Blood was oozing out of Sanket's nose. Hence we suspect it to be a murder,” he said.

Mangalore East Police Inspector Venkatesh Prasanna said the death of Sanket had been registered as a case of unnatural death. Mr. Prasanna said there were no injuries on the body to suspect murder. The police were waiting for the report of the Forensic Science Laboratory and then proceed with the investigation.

The Dalit activists raised problems caused by men who pose like transsexuals and ask motorists to pay money near Kottara Chowki. Mr. Anand said these people worked in hotels and extort money late in the night. This group was earlier operating from Nehru Maidan and had now moved to Kottara Chowki. Mr. Sadashiva said there had been instances where chain snatchers had committed offences in the guise of such men.

Mr. Anand said about problems caused to the family of Seshappa, who died under suspicious circumstances in Belthangady recently.

Mr. Anand said the family members were unable to get death certificate in the absence of acknowledgement from Father Muller Hospital about treatment at the hospital.

Mr. Dharmaiah asked the jurisdictional Mangalore East police to give family members the copy of the details of treatment given to Seshappa at the hospital.