Arun Uppinangady
Daijiworld Media Network – Puttur (SP)

Puttur, Aug 22: An operation to evict unauthorized shops functioning near the parking space by the side of Uppinangady bus stand was undertaken at around 10.30 pm on Thursday August 21. At the same time, a walkway passing near these shops was closed with the help of barbed wires. These operations were conducted under police security in presence of officials other departments.

In the recent past, there had been allegations that girl students moving through this area, which had become congested due to the presence of unauthorized shops, were facing sexual harassment and there were instances of their pictures having been clicked by unscrupulous elements.

Taking umbrage at the recent incident of August 5 in which a person photographed passing girl students, the girl students had filed written complaints with the police station and panchayat office, urging them to remove the unauthorized shops, which were the root cause for the problem and to close the walkway. Although the panchayat administration responded positively to this complaint and undertook an operation on August 7 to clear the encroachments, it had to retreat owing to political interference.

The students had, on August 18, held a huge protest by blocking the road in support of their demands. The student leaders who addressed the gathering, gave August 21 as deadline for the eviction of unauthorized entities by the side of the said walkway. They had warned of undertaking stronger forms of protest if this deadline is not met. The police and revenue department, which were in a fix because of this development, coordinated the operation to clear the encroachments with the local panchayat administration on Thursday. Besides erecting barbed wire fencing on both sides of the walkway, they also permanently closed entry into the walkway, which has of late been witnessing controversial incidents.

Deputy Superintendent of Police, tahsildar, other police officials, as well as revenue department and panchayat officials were present on the spot to guide the operation.