Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (SP)

Kundapur, Jul 11: Even before the policemen of Byndoor could recover from the jolt they received by way of first ever serial thefts which occurred at Byndoor, a college student went missing from Shirur within that police station limits within two days thereafter. The people strongly believe that Ratna Kottary (17), a first PU student of Shiroor Composite PU College, who went missing on Wednesday July 9 morning from a deserted stretch of the road, has been kidnapped.

Hundreds of students walk to a number of schools including the PU College in Shirur, and several roads leading to the town pass through forests which remain deserted most of the time. The girl, who hails from Alandoor, used to walk through Toodalli Road to reach the college. She is believed to have disappeared from a desolate stretch of the road at Savantagudde, as people living in a house near this place had seen the girl walking towards the college. As the girl neither attended college nor reached her home till late evening, the family members and people alike apprehend that she must have been kidnapped.

A few days back, thieves had entered two houses in this region and taken away valuables. An attempt was made to snatch away gold chain from the neck of a woman a few days thereafter, but the thieves had to go empty-handed because of the presence of mind shown by that woman.

Another hypothesis relating to the missing girl is that she would have drowned while crossing the foot bridge across a river near her house. The locals have searched for the girl in nearby forests and river, but failed to get any traces of her.

A case of abduction stands registered in Byndoor police station relating to this case. Circle inspector, Sudarshan, and station house officer, Santosh Kaikini, visited the spot and undertook investigation.

Byndoor MLA, Gopal Poojary, relating to growing number of crimes in the region, promised to convene a meeting of police officials and to speak to authorities in the government to discuss ways and means to regulate crime and to strengthen law and order machinery within his constituency.