Illegal stay at St Mary's Island: 7 taken into custody

Coastal Security Police (CSP) are probing the involvement of senior government officials in the dusk-to-dawn party held at St Mary’s Island on Saturday. As many as seven men who participated in the party were taken into custody.

The seven men in the custody of coastal security police also include Malpe Beach Development Committee maintenance in-charge Sudhesh Shetty.

CSP Police Superintendent R Chetan said the seven men had not only violated the lockdown rules but also the tender regulations. Chetan had also written a letter to Udupi deputy commissioner, who is also chairman of Malpe Beach Development Committee, over the action to be initiated against Shetty and his friends.

Vadabandeshwara Councillor Yogish Salian has filed a complaint with the coastal police. Salian, in his complaint, alleged that the shore was littered with liquor bottles.

The police also found two cars parked near the dockyard used for anchoring the boats, that ferry tourists to the island. The police had to rush to the island after being flooded with complaints from the local residents on Saturday midnight.

The men who were found on the island had reportedly told police that they had come to the island to take back the materials owned by Malpe Beach Development Committee. They could not return to Malpe owing to the rough sea.

The seven men who stayed back at the island after the party were ferried to the mainland on Sunday morning.

Malpe Beach Development Committee maintenance in-charge Sudhesh Shetty denied reports on having partied at St Mary's Island and dismissed it as rumours.

Along with Sudhesh Shetty, Raghav, Sachin, Panduranga Kunder, Nandakishore, Devanand and Sachin Kumar were taken by police into custody.