Family members of homestay attack accused claim their innocence, demand release

Mangalore, September 4: A few family members of those arrested in connection with the Morning Mist Homestay attack on Tuesday appeared before the media claiming their innocence and demanding their release.

Addressing media persons at Press Club in Mangalore, family members of Taranath, Venugopal, Taranath Alva and Rajesh claimed that they were innocent and had nothing to do with the homestay attack.

“Taranath Alva had only been to the spot to see what was happening as people had gathered there. By the time he went there, the incident had already taken place. He has nothing to do with the attack”, said Chandrika Alva, wife of Taranath Alva.

Ms. Alva said that her family is currently going through tough times sans a bread winner with her husband being in jail. “It is just me and my old father-in-law now at home. Our days pass by with great difficulty. My father-in-law needs medical attention and his medical expenses alone come up to Rs. 2000 every month. We are now only busy with running around meeting people asking them to get our dear ones released. For the first time in our life, we have stepped into police stations and court rooms”, she said.

Vidyavathi, wife of Venugopal, also claimed that her husband was innocent. “My husband is not of that kind. He is an auto rickshaw driver and he would in fact help people even in the middle of the night. I see my child and I get saddened over whatever has happened”, she said.

Sarvani, mother of Taranath Kannur, said that her son was not associated with any organization and was innocent. Taranath is the younger brother of Subhash Padil who was not in the city when the attack took place, she said. He was on his way to Mysore when he was informed that his brother Subhash had been arrested. He returned back to Padil to see his brother on being told that he had been injured in the incident. But the police arrested him from his residence that night, she said.

The family members of those arrested said that they have even met the Police Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner asking for their intervention without much success.