Daijiworld News Network - Beltangady (VM)

Beltangady, Jan 13: A gang of 20 youth attacked a family at Andinje, as a result of which four women of the family got admitted to a local hospital on Wednesday with injuries.

It is said, that the assault was launched in the guise of Ayyappa shrine, for settling personal scores. Nagaveni (27), Prema (18), Susheela (42) and Pushpa (55) from Gurbottu house near panchayat office, are the injured.

The panchayat had recently decided to build a bus stop at the place where an Ayyappa shrine now stands at Andinje. A decision was made to shift Ayyappa shrine to a new place and panchayat had intimated a site for the same. It is said this is a kumki and owned by a family of Pushpa.

The land was levelled with the help of JCB machine. The family of Pushpa, who grew apprehensive that their land might slip away from them once the shrine comes up, pitched a tent there and sat inside the tent, even though they had a separate house.

A crowd of about 20 youth came to the spot, and uprooted the tent. The crowd pulled the four women out, and assaulted them for erecting a tent. One of the assaulters, who had personal enmity with the family, and for settling scores, he ganged up with the youth against the family, the injured said.