Karnataka Lokayukta Y. Bhaskar Rao directed the police to provide protection to a Dalit family that approached him during the grievances redressal meeting in Kolar on Monday.
T. Bhagyamma, a Dalit, and her family members hailing from Cholaghatta in Kolar taluk pleaded for protection. She said that her family was being harassed by upper caste people in their village to sell their land measuring 3 acres and 8 guntas. The family was in tears when they put their case before Mr. Rao.
“A number of people belonging to upper caste are pressuring us to sell out land measuring 3 acres and 8 guntas against our wishes”, Ms. Bhagyamma said. Mr. Bhaskar Rao told the Deputy Superintendent of Police to provide protection to the family.
Earlier, the Lokayukta took to task the Joint Director of Agriculture when K. Srinivasa Gowda, leader of a farmers’ organisation, brought to his notice that fake pesticides were being sold. Mr. Rao directed the Joint Director to visit the Lokayukta office in Bangalore within a fortnight to participate in the investigation in this connection.
Hospital visit
Lokayukta Y. Bhaskar Rao paid a surprise visit to the District Sri Narasimha Raja Hospital on Monday. He pulled up the officials there for not keeping the hospital premises clean.
Absent lecturers
When he visited the Government College for Boys, he found that four of the 79 faculty members were present at 10.15 a.m. He asked the Deputy Commissioner to inquire into the matter.
