Despite lodging two complaints with the Venoor Police about a man who had allegedly “cheated” a Dalit woman and abandoned her, the police are yet to trace the accused, Dalit activists told the Superintendent of Police Labhu Ram on Sunday.
The matter was raised at the monthly meeting held by the Superintendent of Police to hear the grievances of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes people.
Shekar L. said a person from Parlanda had a sexual relationship with a 19-year-old woman under the Venoor Police Station limits on the pretext of marrying her. The woman, who delivered a baby on September 10, had lodged two complaints with the police since then but the police had not taken action, Mr. Shekar said.
Mr. Shekar said the man was in town when the woman was admitted to the hospital, but had been reported absconding since then.
Mr. Ram said the case was no longer with the Venoor Police Station but was being investigated by the Additional Superintendent of Police Prabhakar.
Mr. Prabhakar said as the complaint had been filed late, the police were finding it difficult to trace the man. The district police had even gone to Mumbai after receiving a tip off that the man might be hiding there, he said.
A demand was voiced by Dalit activists on Sunday related to the district administration.
The leaders of several Dalit rights groups told Mr. Ram that it had been many months since the district administration called a meeting to discuss the problems of Dalits and tribal people. Mr. Ram said he would write to the district administration about the demand.
Dalit Sangharsha Samiti (Bhimavada) district convenor P. Keshava said land belonging to Dalits in Barya in Belthangady taluk had been encroached by others.
Mr. Keshava said in 1979-80, Dalits had been granted one acre of land, but it had been encroached by others. Mr. Ram said he would write to the tahsildar requesting a survey of area and try to sort out the matter.
