Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)
Udupi, Apr 10: President of Akhila Karnataka Police Mahasangha, V Shashidhar, reacting to the incident in which a police constable of Malpe station, Prakash M Saptasagare, was suspended for allegedly beating up Kumar (34), employed in fishnet factory belonging to minister, Pramod Madhwaraj, for teasing the constable's wife, said that he would file complaint with the Lokayukta, Justice P Vishwanath Shetty, and state governor, Vajubhai Vala, within a few days about the incident. He stated that he has put together all the documents needed to substantiate his claim that one-sided decisions have been taken in this case with the aim of protecting the guilty.
Shashidhar, who allegedly was approached by the constable who is facing action, warned of organizing agitations against what he terms as unjustified action. In a complaint filed by Kumar from Belagavi working for the minister, he has said that he was stopped by constable, Prakash, near Indian Oil petrol bunk and attacked him, duly shouting at him for reportedly teasing the latter's wife. A case under sections 342 and 323 of Indian Penal Code stands registered against Prakash.
Prakash
Jyoti
Pramod Madhwaraj with Kumar in hospital
In the meanwhile, Jyoti (21), wife of Prakash, filed complaint in women's police station here, claiming that two persons who came in a motor bike, had harassed her including winking at her and patting her in the back. On the basis of this complaint, a case has been registered against Kumar and another under sections 354, 323 and 34 of Indian Penal Code. She said that the incident happened on April 5 when her husband was withdrawing money from the ATM and she was waiting outside near his motor bike.
Prakash has alleged that the eve-teaser was taken to police station but the police sub-inspector, instead of accepting the complaint, sent the accused away by filing a frivolous case. He said that the sub-inspector had led him to minister, Pramod Madhwaraj's wife on April 6 for discussions, where a huge crowd of 100 to 150 persons derided him, duly asking him to cover his wife in burqa when accompanying her outside his home. He said he had admitted the man in Hitech hospital, and that after the minister came back from election campaigning, the situation underwent changes, and the superintendent of police suspended him.
Audio goes viral
An audio in which constable, Prakash, is heard wondering with Shashidhar as to how can a constable be expected to protect the public if he is unable to protect his own wife from eve-teasers, is making the rounds in social websites.
BJP condemns
In the meanwhile, BJP state executive member and in-charge of Mangaluru division, K Uday Kumar Shetty, has condemned the tacit support extended by minister, Pramod Madhwaraj, to the goondaism resorted to by his employee. He criticized the minster for failing to dismiss Kumar from the job and asking police to register a case against him, and instead, taking action against constable. "This shows that women have no safety under this government. This has added up to several such incident which have happened in the recent past involving the minister," he said.
He also pointed out that the minister, instead of finding out people involved with illegal sand mining and dealing them as per to law, has questioned the very move of the district deputy commissioner against sand mafia. He said that the minister has misused police department and therefore, demanded withdrawal of the suspension of the police constable.