Don't defend gang rape case, lawyers urged

Three juveniles involved in the gang rape of a woman, belonging to a scheduled community, were detained and produced before a juvenile court by city police on Wednesday.

With the arrest of three minors, the total number of youth arrested in the Thota Bengre Alive Bagilu gang rape case went upto seven.

District-in-charge Minister U T Khader on Wednesday issued a statement urging advocates not to defend the youth named in the gang rape case and to ensure that stringent punishment was awarded to them. Meanwhile All College Students Association, Dakshina Kannada district, threatened to ghearo advocates who would argue on behalf of the seven accused youth including minors in the court hall.

Members of All College Students Association submitted a memorandum to Mangaluru Bar Association (MBA) President M R Ballal in court premises and urged advocates not to defend the accused involved in the gang rape of the woman from Bantwal. He said that the gang rape had left the students worried. The gang rape not only reflects the rampant drug abuse in the district but also exposes the failure of district administration, they urged.

Mangaluru South MLA Vedavyas Kamath told reporters that such incidents of gang rape would continue to take place if the police failed to check the drug menace. Kamath also recollected interacting with police officials on means to tackle drug menace.

Student leaders including Gurudutt Malli, Ibrahim Bahutish, Astel Lobo, Ashwith Adapa, Anvitha Shetty, Priyanka Shetty, Majid Kodipady, Sulaiman Shafi, Ashwak, Sohan Karanth among others were present in the student delegation.

Outpost in Bengre area

Vedavyas Kamath said he had discussed with Mangaluru Commissioner of Police on setting up a police outpost in Bengre area. “If the commissionerate submits a proposal on setting up a full-fledged police station in Bengre, I as a MLA will impress upon the top officials and home department in Bengaluru on the need to open a full fledged police station.”

Khader announced a reward of Rs one lakh for the policemen who had succeeded in arresting all the seven youth including three minors involved in the gang rape. He said the police suo motto took over the case without receiving any complaint from the victim. Their swift action in rounding up all the accused youth had drawn praise from all quarters, he stressed.

Khader promised to get government release compensation to the rape victim. Khader also promised to hold discussions with senior police officials on setting up a police outpost in Bengre at the earliest.