Mangaluru mayor accused of assault on labourer, complaint

Mangaluru mayor accused of assault on labourer, complaint

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Oct 28, 2017: A labourer from Bagalkot has complained that mayor Kavitha Sanil assaulted her. Kamala, who is from Bagalkot and stays with her husband and three children in the basement of an apartment in Bejai, filed a complaint with the women’s police station.

Kamala alleged the mayor pulled away her two-year-old baby and slapped her. She’s the wife of the security personnel of the apartment in Bejai where Kavitha Sanil resides in a flat with her family.

A video of Kamala complaining about the mayor is being circulated on social media. Kamala said, "During Diwali celebrations, children in the apartment were burning crackers that day (October 18). My child is afraid of crackers and didn’t go near other children. I was there when the mayor’s daughter pushed my six-year-old son and he fell to the ground. Next day, the mayor came to me and slapped me after pulling away my youngest child who was in my arms."

When contacted, the Mayor seems to have said that allegations are absolutely baseless. There is no truth in her allegation. The complaint against me is politically motivated. I have proof. 

Kamala accompanied by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)leader Roopa D Bangera filed a complaint at Mangaluru women’s police station on October 27,  Friday. The incident has turned into political mudslinging with BJP leaders accusing the mayor of treating the poor inhumanely. The party demanded her resignation.

BJP Mangaluru South committee president Vedavyas Kamath said the party will protest if the police don’t take appropriate action against Kavitha. "Being the mayor, Kavitha should have been wiping the tears of the poor. However, she has allegedly assaulted a poor woman and pulled away her child. The mayor has brought disgrace to the entire city and hence, she should resign. If she does not resign, the Congress should remove her from the post. Similarly, police should take all necessary action as per law against the mayor," he said.

The Mangaluru women’s police station confirmed it has received a complaint from Kamala. "We have received the complaint and will be inquired," police said.