Mangaluru: Activists complain of ‘police violence’ during protest at killer junction

Mangaluru, Feb 28: Several people, who staged protest at Nanthoor Junction in the city after a ghastly road mishap on Friday, have expressed their anger against city police for being ruthless towards peaceful demonstrators.

“We were peacefully staging a demonstration to exert pressure on the administration to take necessary steps to prevent mishaps at accident-prone Nanthoor Circle. But, all of a sudden police resorted to baton charge and injured innocents,” said Vinod, a local resident, who suffered minor injuries during the protest.

Lawrence D’Souza, a member of Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy, was hospitalized after he was severely caned by the police during the protest. Mangaluru City South MLA J R Lobo visited him at the hospital on Saturday morning.

Mr D’Souza complained to the MLA that he was mercilessly canned by Kadri police inspector T D Nagaraj without any provocation. “I was stuck in traffic jam at Nanthoor when I was returning home in the evening after finishing my work. I went to the spot of protest to know the reason. All of a sudden the police attacked me,” he said.

Pradeep, another local resident, who also suffered minor injuries during the protest, said that Nanthoor Circle is constructed in an unscientific method.

“We were staging a peaceful protest demanding the authorities to take immediate steps to prevent accidents at Nanthoor junction and arrest the tipper lorry driver, who ran away after killing three people on Friday,” said Pradeep, adding that the police turned violent against the protesters without any provocation.

Veena, a 40-year-old government school teacher and her 13-year-old son Nitesh onboard an ill-fated car and Preetam, a youth on a motorcycle were killed after a reckless tipper rammed into their vehicles on Friday afternoon at Nanthoor junction. Veena’s husband Krishna Nayak, head master of Kendriya Vidyalaya 1, Panambur, and their daughter Nikita are in a private hospital.

Also Read: Three killed, three critically injured in serial accident at Nanthoor junction