Pics: Umesh Marpalli

Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB)

Udupi, Jun 29: Chaos erupted at City Municipal Council (AMC) general meeting and a person, who visited the meeting hall with the intention of testifying on behalf a councillor, was manhandled by some councilors on Thursday, June 29.

Rony D’Mello from Ambagilu is the person manhandled. He was injured and taken to a hospital.

When the meeting was going on, Geetha Shet, councilor from Kadiyali complained that she was ignored by the CMC in all matters and not taken into confidence. She mentioned some recent developments at her ward including the Kadiyali temple issue.

At that time, councillor Satish Puthran told her that she had participated in the Kadiyali road inauguration. Geetha Shet said that Kadiyali road was not inaugurated officially but she had attended a programme related to the road when people had forced her to. When some councilors objected to this, she said she can call someone who can testify to this fact.

Geetha was reminded that no one can be called to the CMC meeting to testify. But she phoned a person named Rony D’Mello to come. Then she tendered her resignation to the CMC president Meenakshi Madhava Bannanje. The president said she will look into it later.

As there was no proper security at the CMC meeting, Rony D’Mello entered the meeting place after some time. Some CMC members stopped D’Mello from moving in further. Arguments took place among the members and at that time, around ten councilors including Sukesh and R K Ramesh Poojary manhandled D’Mello and stopped him from coming closer to the Chair. They held his collar and used force against him.

Police were called afterwards and Ronald D’Mello was taken to hospital.

The meeting ended as there was no issue in the agenda.

Before this, BJP members had walked out opposing non-payment of dues to the workers who were working on outsourcing contract.

Meenakshi Madhava Bannanje registered her displeasure at the behaviour of councilors at the meeting. The rudely behaving councilors belonged to Congress as well as BJP, as per initial reports.

Geetha Shet is a councillor from Congress.