SC/ST grievance meets should be compulsorily conducted: SP

SC/ST grievance meets should be compulsorily conducted: SP

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Mar 29: Superintendent of Police Dr A Subramanyeshwar Rao instructed all district police officers not to hand over cases related to the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act to constables and head constables. He was speaking at an SC/ST grievance meet at the Police Guest House on Sunday. 

The SP further said that police officers must immediately visit the spot and conduct inquiry in case of SC/ST complaints. He warned all police officials who fail to respond to Dalit complaints that they will be booked under the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act. 

The SP instructed the police department to treat SC/ST complaints justly and ensure the proper registration of these complaints. He said that mandatory grievance meetings must be held at all police stations on the third Sundays of every month. Awareness must be created on the provisions of SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act at station-level grievance meetings. 

Karnataka Dalitha Sangharsha Samithi District Convener S P Ananda said that action must be taken against Sub Inspectors Raghava Padil and Chikkaswamy Gowda for allegedly torturing Sudhakar, the transmission executive of Akashavani. 

Mr. Anand also provided information about Vasanth, a young Dalith, who was forced to pay a bribe of Rs 1,000 to the sub inspector of Uppinangady for permission to set up a stall at the annual festival. Anand said that the officer had threatened Vasanth and had removed his stall forcibly. 

Ananda also spoke about another case in which Kavoor police had detained Rajappa and his 2-year-old child for an entire day for no reason. Rajappa was living with his family in a house constructed on government property. However, the police had harrassed Rajappa even when no complaints were made against him. 

The SP assured the Samithi that proper investigations will be made into these allegations and that all the required steps will be taken to ensure justice. He also said the enquiry regarding a defamation complaint lodged by Umeshchandra, former lecturer of Mangalore University, against DySP S Girish, editor and reporter of a Kannada daily, was in its final stages and that a chargesheet will be soon submitted to the court. 

Additional SP R Ramesh, DySPs C K Shashidhar and B J Bhandary were also present during the grievance meet.