Udupi: Assault on Koraga community at Mehandi function; Police constable files compliant, alleges manhandling

Udupi: A complaint was filed by the Kota police constable in connection with the case involving assault on the Koraga community by police officials at the Mehandi function.

It was alleged that police used brute force to stop a pre-wedding function that was being held on Monday, Decmeber  28 at Koraga colony under Kotathattu gram panchayat over complaints about the loud music.

In a complaint filed by Jayarama Naika (27),  constable of Kota police station, he said that that he along with Sub-inspector Santhosh B P went to the house of Rajesh, a resident of Chittibettu of Kotathattu village where the Mehendi programme was being held. The DJ sound system was playing at high volume and a local resident Subramanya Urala had called 112 and asked for help to reduce the sound of the music as his mother has a heart ailment.

Around 30 to 50 people including accused Rajesh, Sudarshan, Ganesha Barkur, Sachin, Girish, Nagendra Putran, Nagaraja Puthran and others were dancing on the public road in an inebriated state.

When PSI asked the accused to reduce the sound, they pushed him and threatened him with wooden logs. Also,  constable Jayarama Naika was attacked by the accused when he went near the DJ to put off the music.

He received injuries on the index and middle finger of his left hand and went to CHC Kota for treatment the next morning. Later, as the pain increased, he was referred to Kundapur Taluk hospital.

However, in a counter-complaint filed by Rajesh, he said that police used lathis on the guests, including the women and children at the function. As many as nine persons were injured in the chaos and were later admitted to the government hospital here.

The police also detained the bridegroom, few other guests including a Koraga community leader, and took them to the station. Irked by this the locals protested in front of the station whereafter the police released the detained persons, the complaint added.