Kadaba police under scanner in Kodimbala acid attack case

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Feb 06, 2020:  Dakshina Kannada Superintendent of Police B M Laxmi Prasad is likely to initiate disciplinary action against Kadaba Station House Officer (SHO), with the preliminary enquiry conducted by Puttur Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) confirming that police had failed to act in time in the Kodimbala acid attack case.

On January 23, Jayanand Kotari threw acid on his sister-in-law and a widow, 32-year-old Swapna for resisting his sexual advances, in her house in Kodimbala in Kadaba taluk. In the incident, Swapna’s two-year-old daughter also suffered burn injuries on her face, arms and body.

With organisations accusing Kadaba police of shielding the accused, Jayanand Kotari, the SP had ordered Puttur DySP Dinakara Shetty to conduct a probe.

The DySP had interacted with the victim of the acid attack after she was shifted from ICU to the women’s ward at District Wenlock Hospital. The report submitted by the DyCP to the SP confirmed that police did not respond to her pleas for help but had directed her to visit the police station.

The mahajar done by Kadaba police had focussed more on the land dispute between Kotari and his widow sister-in-law Swapna.

Revised FIR

The FIR registered also had made no mention of the sexual harassment faced by the widow.

The FIR in Kadaba police station was registered under sections 447 (criminal trespassing), 504 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 326 (b) (causing hurt by throwing acid).

Following allegations of foul play by the police, the FIR was revised to include sec 509 (insulting the modesty of a woman) and the important sec 354 (a) (punishment for sexual harassment) of IPC.

Courtesy:Deccan Herald