Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Sep 22: National vice president of People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), P B D'Sa noted that even after three years since the then PUCL district president, David D'Souza, breathed his last in the rural police station, there has been no progress in the investigation pertaining to this case. He added that the organization is determined to fight till justice is done in the case.

"David D'Souza had died within ten minutes in the said police station. So far, even postmortem report has not been given. In such cases, first information reports should be filed against the police personnel. But no such report was filed against then station house officer, Pramod Kumar, and no judicial inquiry was conducted. Therefore, we are compelled to hold protest," he explained, addressing a press meet here on Friday September 21.

"David had visited rural police station on July 6, 2015, for helping in a case pertaining to Stany Fernandes. The then station house officer, Pramod Kumar, when speaking to David, had pulled him into another room. Within ten minutes thereafter, David, who was unconscious, was placed in a vehicle and admitted into hospital. By the time he was admitted into the hospital, he had died. Even after three years, neither the police nor the government has informed the National Human Rights Commission, he pointed out. He said that after the organization wanted the investigation to be conducted by an IPS grade officer, the then deputy commissioner of police, Sanjiv Patil, had informed that the said case was handed over to crminal investigation department. "Later, we received information that the case was closed at our request. We raised objection and we also handed over memorandum to the then home minister, Ramalinga Reddy, when he came to the city. But no further steps have been taken although statement of main witness, Stany Fernandes, was given, he said.

PUCL district secretary, Kishore Attavar, Melvyn Pinto, Haneef Saheb Pajapalla, Jerome Saldanha and others were present.