ADVOCATE BOOKED, TORTURED

Madikeri March 7, 2008

Pemmaiah, an advocate from Virajpet was booked for threatening, kidnapping and abusing the modesty of a lady, along with his accomplice and arrested by Siddapur police.

Members of the BAR association, Virajpet called a press conference yesterday and said that Pemmaiah was tortured by police sub inspector Santosh and four other constables in the lock up on the night of 6th and he was made to hold the feet of the complainants, SI and apologize. Stating that this has lead to violation of human rights, advocates stated that a complaint to Human Rights commission was forwarded. Also, the BAR councils of Madikeri, Virajpet and Somwarpet will boycott the proceedings from today, demanding the suspension of the sub inspector.

According to police, Pemmaiah, along with his client Chinnappa trespassed into the estate of one Kadumada Ganapathy on the night of 6th. They threatened the labourers Siddappa, his sister, brother in law and their daughter to leave the place. Later they forced them to sit in their jeep and kidnapped them. Police sub inspector Santosh arrived at the spot and arrested the culprits. Later they blocked the jeep near Maldare and rescued the labourers.

According to the members of the BAR association, Chinnappa, an ex army man was granted five acres of land from the government. The land was next to the hundred acres of land belonging to Captain Kadumada Ganapathy. Ganapathy allegedly occupied the place. Chinnappa brought court injunction to stop illegal entry of anyone. However, with the support of the police, coffee was plucked by the latter and Chinnappa and Pemmaiah went to question the act which is contempt of court. They saw workers from K.R.nagar plucking coffee and tried to send them back in their jeep. They even brought the labourers back after the sub inspector asked them to do so. Sub inspector called them to police station by falsely stating that Ganapathy will amicably settled the issue in the station and took the group. Talking to them politely till ten at night, sub inspector forced the advocate inside the lock up and thrashed him inhumanly along with other constables.

They stated that a case filed by a Virajpet advocate recently against the Sub inspector in an old case at South Kodagu has enraged him. He beat advocate Pemmaiah by stating that “I will show you what the Khaki can do to the Black coats”.

BAR associations in all the three talukas are meeting today to discuss the further course of action.

TIGER ATTACK CALLS FOR ANOTHER PROTEST;

Close on the heels of people holding protest against tiger menace and giving deadlines to forest department to capture tiger, one more cattle was killed by it at Hudikeri on sixth night and people held a severe protest yesterday.

According to reports, tiger attacked a cow at Bellur village near Hudikeri and injured another. The angry villagers brought the carcass to Virajpet and staged a protest by keeping it in front of Deputy Forest Officers office. They demanded the presence of patak and held protest till late night. The ACFO did not turn up . The protestors have warned of grave protests if the forest officials continue their lathergic stance.

ACFO Patak has said that officers are asked to prpare for the tigers capture.

DIES IN TRACTOR MISHAP;

A youth nandish, 20 died as the tractor he was traveling met with an accident. The incident was reported from Chikkatolur in North Kodagu.

The tractor was transporting coffee in the trailer and the deceased was sitting on the coffee beans. The tractor hit a pole and Nadish fell down. The back wheel of the tractor ran over his head. He died on the way to the hospital.

Driver Guruswamy is arrested.