Former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Monday served an ultimatum of August 5 to the State government to nab culprits in the three murders in Dakshina Kannada district, failing which he said he will be forced to hold a Satyagraha in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Mangaluru from August 6.
Launching a scathing attack on the government, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, and the State police chief, Mr. Kumaraswamy told reporters here that Mr. Bommai with his July 28 visit to the district was expected to send a soothing message to all communities. However, he only visited the family of BJP Yuva Morcha leader Praveen Nettaru without consoling the families of Masood and Mohammed Fazil who were murdered on July 21 and July 28.
Mr. Kumaraswamy, who visited the families of Praveen, Masood and Fazil and handed over ₹5 lakh each compensation from the Janata Dal (Secular) to them before holding a media briefing, said his was not a flying visit but he spent considerable time with the family members consoling them and obtaining information about events that led to the gruesome murders.
Family members of victims have genuine apprehension about the government rendering justice in the murders. According to him, the police were yet to get any clue about Praveen’s murder.
Mr. Kumaraswamy said when he saw Director General and Inspector Genera of Police Praveen Sood in his flight from Bengaluru to Mangaluru on Monday morning, he thought the officer was here on a big task. The officer should have visited the district on the day of the crime. “Was he busy counting monies in the transfer business,” he asked.
Innocents targeted
Alleging that innocent youth were being targeted, Mr. Kumaraswamy said Masood was raring a cattle calf which became an issue and the group which called him for negotiation killed him. Praveen’s family was apprehensive of getting justice, he said.
State JD(S) president C.M. Ibrahim and others were present.
