Daijiworld Media Network - Brahmavar (SP)

Brahmavar, Feb 23: In a complaint filed at Brahmavar police station, Manjappa Poojary (63) from Hosala village, Barkur, said that he and three others were injured when Shankar Shanthi attacked them with an iron rod on February 20.

Manjappa says that at 9 am on February 20, he had visited the hall of Kachchoor Kalikamba temple located opposite the residence of Manjappa, where he met Praveen Acharya, Prasad Achraya and others. He says that with these people and Ramesh Amin, who was in the temple, he had gone to Praveen Acharya. "At that time, Shankar Shanthi came there with a rod in his hand, abused us, accused us of plotting against him, and swung his rod at us. As we escaped, the rod banged against the upper part of his right waist. When Ramesh Amin, Prasad Acharya and Praveen Acharya tried to stop the quarrel, Shankar Shanthi hit them, and also the window glass of the temple hall as a result of which the glass was shattered. He then posed threats to us and went to the road. Because of this attack, Manjappa, Ramesh, Prasad and Praveen suffered from pain in their body. Nitin, son of Manjappa, took them to Pranam Hospital Brahmavar where the doctors tested them and admitted them as in-patients. Praveen Acharya, Prasad Acharya and Ramesh Amin were treated at the government hospital at Brahmavar.

The complainant said that Shankar Shanthi and Praveen Acharya as well as Manjappa had some dispute relating to the temple and because of this enmity this attack was launched.

In a counter complaint, the Brahmavar police have been told that Shankar Shanthi, who has been fighting against the injustices faced by the common people and who has been striving honestly to enforce rule of law, was confined in the kitchen of a hall near his house on February 20 and brutally attacked. Hearing his wails, his wife came running, found her husband lying unconscious in a pool of blood and admitted him into Ajjarkad hospital. "Shanthi is a RTI activist. He has been fighting against substandard concrete road, vacating of encroachment of Barkur Jain Basadi land etc. It is said that Praven Acharya, Prasad Acharya, Shantharam Shetty, Manjappa Poojary and Diwakar, angered by the fact that Shanthi was fighting against the installation of a banner by the roadside that is creating problems for the people, attempted to murder Shanthi with an iron rod.

Brahmavar police, who have registered two cases under different provisions of the Indian Penal Code, are investigating.