from Daijiworld's special correspondent reporting from Manipal (GA)

Udupi, Jan 31: The undivided district of Dakshina Kannada is known to the “land of intelligent people.”  But God alone appears to know what the scribes and others mean by this tag.

The day-to-day happenings in the district, the ever-increasing number of crime and criminals, the harassments and atrocities inflicted on womenfolk, mounting cases of suicides, nagging traffic problems and many more things clearly defy this statement. Yet most of the residents take pride in identifying themselves as the inhabitants of the "land of intelligent" people. If one takes into account each and every incident taking place in the undivided district of Dakshina Kannada every day, the day may not be far when the district will be re-christened as "land of crimes and criminals."

Here there is one more example of animality, which indicates firmly as on which track the district of intelligent people is heading now.  Praveen Naik, a 14-year-old boy of Shantinagar near Manipal here has been arrested and remanded to the custody of Juvenile Home at Shimoga for raping a 9-year-old neighbouring Brahmin girl. Her father owns a small canteen at Shantinagar.

The incident took place on Thursday January 26 afternoon when there was no one in the home of either the accused or the victim.  The small girl had gone to Praveen's house for watching TV in the afternoon.  There was no one else in Praveen's house.  Taking advantage of the opportunity, he raped the girl.  The incident came to light immediately once the girl went home.  She is now admitted to KMC Hospital with injuries on her person and scars on her psyche.

The case however, would have gone unnoticed since Praveen's mother Shanta Naik is a member of No.80 Badagubettu gram panchayat. But some stern action and immediate intervention by Manipal Circle Inspector H D Mendonca has now brought the case to the light.  Praveen is a class 9 student at Manipal.

This is the 7th rape case in the undivided district of Dakshina Kannada in the last 45 days.  Perhaps this gives evidence to how far the people of the district are intelligent.  This amply throws light on the integrity of mind of the inhabitants who still take pride in calling themselves to be living in the 'safest area' of Karnataka.

It is high time parents and community leaders thought about the falling social and family values and resultant offences.