NCW member meets victims, homestay owner

Member of the National Commission for Women (NCW), Shamina Shafiq, on Thursday met the victims of an attack at a homestay in Mangalore, the owner of the facility, and the police, on Day One of her two-day visit to the city to inquire into the incident.

Shafiq told mediapersons that the NCW had taken cognisance of the incident and had sought the Action Taken Report (ATR) from the local police and the State police within two days of the attack, but the Commission had not received the ATR so far.

The incident was shocking and very unfortunate, she said. The NCW had taken cognisance of it the very next day and had sought the ATR. “But we have not received the report even 20 days after the incident,” she said.

As the State Women’s Commission (SWC) had also taken cognisance of the incident and begun an inquiry, the NCW did not want to interfere,” said Shafiq, adding that this had delayed an inquiry by the NCW.

Shafiq refused to comment on the SWC report on the attack, saying it had submitted the report based on its perception. However, it is unfortunate to learn that the SWC had not spoken to the male victims of the attack. “I spoke to two victims now, and they said the SWC has not interacted with them,” said Shafiq. 

She said she would talk to all the people concerned, including the victims, during her stay in Mangalore. “I will come again if necessary. The report will be submitted to the NCW chairperson soon after the inquiry is completed,” she said.

Shafiq, who arrived at Circuit House at 9 am, met Deputy Commissioner Dr N S Channappa Gowda, Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh, and MCC Commissioner Dr K Harish Kumar, as a part of the inquiry. She held a long conversation with two victims of the attack, Gurudutt Kamath and Vijay Kumar, before proceeding to Morning Mist Homestay at Patil on the city outskirts.

During an hour-long inspection of the homestay, Shafiq met its owner Loretta Rebello who gave details pertaining to her facility to the NCW member. “I have given her all the details pertaining to my facility - right from the time it was booked, the way it was booked and the recent developments,” Rebello told Deccan Herald. Shafiq also met a few neighbours of the homestay.