Child Sacrifice Case: Official gets a taste of residents’ fear

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, December 21: A good 48-hours after the chilling incident of child sacrifice came to light, a wave of anger among residents of Yeyyadi, where the incident took place is palpable. Getting a feel of this anger was Prabhulinga Kavalikatti, Mangalore sub-division assistant commissioner who visited the house of Kamalaksha Purusha, the main accused here on Sunday and also the spot beside a stream from where the body of Priyanka was recovered.

The official, who has been directed by DC Subodh Yadav to submit a report on the incident on instructions from the State Human Rights Commission and Child Welfare Rights Commission, while understanding sentiments of the people, made it amply clear to them what his brief was. The AC asserted he is not competent to go in to police investigations in to the incident and he was concerned about social connotations involving the crime.

"I have been specifically asked to look if superstition played any role in this crime being committed and what are the ways and means to create awareness among the masses to remove such superstitions and prevent recurrence of such incidents in the future," he said. At the same time, the AC said the feelings expressed by people would form part of his report. Rehabilitation of the victim’s family too would be part of the report, the AC clarified.

Earlier, Priya, next-door neighbour of Firan Kumar Jha, whose daughter Priyanka, all of three-and-a-half year fell victim to Purusha told Prabhulinga Kavalikatti that the police did not pay heed to her persistent plea that they question Chandrakala, accused on Thursday evening. If police had coerced her, she would have revealed Priyanka’s whereabouts, Priya said, adding Chandrakala’s supposed mental unsoundness deterred the police.

Ronald Fernandes, a local and his sister-in-law Shobha Fernandes drew the AC’s attention to an incident where workers removing weeds in their arecanut plantation, adjacent to land owned by Purusha, complained of a foul smell. They expressed fears that Purusha could have killed someone else and buried the body there. Locals demanded that Purusha’s property be searched to ascertain if he was indeed involved in more heinous acts. TOI