Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (DV/RJP)
Mangaluru, Jan 13: Chaos erupted at Neermarga here late night on Monday January 12, with the Mangaluru rural police arresting a person for obstructing the movement of people and vehicles on a public road.
The arrested person is Prem Michael Crasta from Ontemaru near Neermarga. His mother Jacintha was also taken into custody but later released.
As per the complaint filed, Prem Michael Crasta with the help of 15 persons, who have not been named, dug the public road and obstructed the movement of people and vehicles on January 12.
The place in question is a road connecting Adyar Padav. The said road deviates from the Neermarga Merla Padav main road. The distance to Adyar Padav from this point is 2 kilometers. If the road is closed, the distance becomes 8 kilometers. The road is narrow and only 3 wheelers and 2 wheelers can use this road at a time.
As a bridge is being built on the main road, the connection through the main road to Adyar Padav is cut off completely. Hence more vehicles started using the shorter road. This road passes by the property of the arrested person Prem Crasta. It is alleged that on January 12, with the help of 15 people he dug the road using JCB earth movers. After that the said road was completely closed for movement of people and vehicles both, because of the pits dug on the road.
The people from the area objected to the digging of the road. Corporator Melwyn D'Souza and Krishna Palemar, the former minister visited the place. When the persons from PWD tried to close the pits Prem is said to have stopped them from doing so. He with his mother Jacintha Crasta told them that the matter is in court from 2006 and hence nobody is authorized to intervene in the matter.
Gokuldas Shetty, the former taluk panchayat president speaking to daijiworld said, "This road has been in use for the past 60 years. 200 families benefit because of this road. No way this road should be closed."
It is reported that police have also questioned Jacintha Crasta and are planning to question other people.