Police 'assault' RTI activist and family

Times of India: Mangaluru: Saturday, July 04, 2015.

The Dakshina Kannada unit of BJP has taken up cudgels on behalf of S Keshav Rao, a farmer from Hathyadka village of Arasinamakki GP in Belthangady taluk. The party alleged that Rao is a victim of police atrocity at the behest of a local leader there.

Pratapsimha Nayak, president of the district unit of BJP, told reporters here that police personnel from Nelyady outpost and Uppinangady police station, and a panchayat development officer targeted Keshav Rao for his outspokenness and use of RTI to bring to light irregularities in Arasinamakki GP. "PDO Chandrashekar, secretary Venkappa Gowda, and member Jagannath Shetty Adkari, and police personnel are involved in the act," Nayak said.

Rao said the dispute pertains to a move by the panchayat to set aside land for a public crematorium in kumki land in survey number 126, adjacent to their paternal property measuring 5.6 acres in survey number 127/1. "An appeal in this regard is pending before the assistant commissioner and DC under akrama sakrama wherein the family has staked its claim over the land. Yet, the panchayat officials with police help have violated our rights," he said.

"The panchayat officials entered the property in survey number 126 and brought down fully grown rubber trees. When the family protested, police bundled me, my brother Umesh Rao, and my mother S Laxmi Rao to Uppinangady police station and inflicted unspeakable torture on us on June 29. They did not even spare my mother aged 70," he said, adding police also warned them not to reveal about the atrocities inflicted on them before a magistrate or a court.

Pratapsimha said BJP has appraised superintendent of police Sharanappa SD about the incident and demanded action against the errant policemen and others concerned.

"Police have treated self-respecting farmers worse than they handle hardened criminals. The party is also planning to approach the State Human Rights Commission and police top brass on the issue. The crematorium issue was a guise to attack the family," he said. The SP said the brothers had met him. "I have asked them to give a written complaint based on which an inquiry will be ordered and action taken against police personnel, if found guilty."

Anuradha K Rao, Keshav's wife said, "The SP heard us patiently and promised to look into the matter. We have also met deputy commissioner AB Ibrahim and he too has assured to provide us justice, for he is in the know of the matter."