Mangalore, May 14: Prof. G K Govinda Rao, actor and thinker, paid a visit to the Mangalore jail and met Vittala Malekudiya, the tribal boy who has been arrested by ANF for alleged Naxal links.
Speaking to media persons after visiting Mr. Vittala and his father Linganna, Prof. Rao said that the duo he feels is innocent.
“The boy is innocent. There is no look of wildness in his face. I spoke to him. It was cruel on the part of the police to have taken him to the exam hall with handcuffs”, he said.
Expressing his disappointment at the way Mr. Vittala has been treated by the police Prof. Rao said “He has been insulted. If you treat youth like that, they may take to terrorism really in the future and risk their lives”.
He however maintained that he was not a supporter of naxalism.
A defence committee consisting of progressive thinkers has been formed to take up the struggle of demanding justice for Mr. Vittala and Mr. Linganna, he said. A protest will be held in Bangalore on May 28 as well, he informed.
Mavali Shankar, State Chief Convener, DSS, said that Malekudiya tribal community is cut off from the society and has limited access to schools. “It is disheartening that even though a boy from the community has pursued studies, he is being discouraged by putting him behind bars”, he said.
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