Police considering ’Goonda Act’ to book Gopala Gowda

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Aug 7, 2015 :  As per reports the Dakshina Kannada police will consider invoking provisions of the Karnataka Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleggers, Drug Offenders, Gamblers, Goonda Act 1985, popularly known as the ’Goonda Act’, against Gopalakrishna Gowda, a landlord from Belthangady, who has been reported to be at large following an attack on 48-year-old farm labourer Sundara Malekudiya on July 26.

At a meeting of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes on Aug 6,  Additional Superintendent of Police Vincent Shantakumar said seeing the cases  allegedly involving  Gowda in the past, it merited invocation of the provisions of the Goonda Act. A decision will be taken ASP  Shantakumar said.

A Dalit activist said the attack on Malekudiya using a weed cutting machine led to him losing his two fingers on the right hand. His severed elbow of the left hand had to be operated upon. The activist said such a person, who has been involved in assault cases earlier too, needed to be booked under the Goonda Act where the accused does not get bail. The activist said there was every possibility of him getting  anticipatory bail and continuing with his “tyranny” in the area.

ASP Shantakumar said they had discussed the issue, Dalita Hakkugala Horata Samiti president Shekar Laila said there had been several instances where the police had invoked provisions of the Goonda Act even when the accused was involved in two cases.  This is a clear issue for  invoking the ’Goonda act’.

DK DC   Adoor .B. Ibrahim said there are stipulated procedures that should be followed before invoking such provisions. “There is judicial process that needs to be followed,” he said. Efforts were on to trace the whereabouts of  Gowda, he added. Earlier, talking to media after visiting  Malekudiya at the Government Wenlock Hosptial, Superintendent of Police Sharanappa S.D. said they would trace  Gowda soon.  A legal process to catch him is implemented.