Following the arrest of three persons allegedly involved in the assault of Haleyangadi Panchayat Development Officer Poornima Acharya, the district unit of Karnataka State Panchayat Development Officers’ Welfare Association called off the proposed mass leave from Wednesday.
The PDOs, under the aegis of the association, had carried out a protest in front of the office of the Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer here on Monday. They had threatened to go on mass leave from Wednesday if the police failed to arrest the accused by Tuesday.
Three persons allegedly abused and assaulted Ms. Acharya on February 16 when she had gone to Indira Nagar in Haleyangady along with Panchayat Secretary to attend to the water supply problem in the area. The accused allegedly assaulted her and later damaged the water supply line. A complaint was filed by her at the Mulki Police Station.
The Mulki police on Tuesday arrested Wajid, Shareef and Mohammed Hissar. They were accused of offences under Sections 353 (assault to deter public servant), 354 (assault to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 504 (intentional insult with an intent to provoke breach of peace) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code. They were remanded to 15 days of judicial custody after they were produced before the jurisdictional court, the police said.
