Mangaluru: A tense situation prevails in Katipalla area of Surathkal where villagers as well as family members of Deepak, who was brutally murdered yesterday declined to accept his body here on January 4.
The police, it is gathered had brought Deepak’s body to his Katipalla Kaikamba residence in an ambulance in a secret manner, though Hindu outfits had planned to take out a procession and had called for a bandh in Suratkal and Katipalla as a mark of protest.
The villagers including right wing leaders are demanding that the state home minister personally visits Deepak’s family and government provides a fair compensation.
Deepak was hacked to death on Wednesday and in a brisk operation four youth were nabbed by the cops. Soon after the incident, two youth from the same vicinity were also assaulted and this is believed to be an act to avenge Deepak’s murder.
Right-wing leader Sathyajit Surathkal, addressing the protest at Ganeshkatte reiteirated demand for ban on PFI outfit as well as a check on the growing drug manenace in the district.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada Sasikanth Senthil announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakhs ( Rs 5 lakhs from district administration and Rs 5 lakhs from chief ministers fund) to the kin of the deceased. However since the gathered mob declined to accept this compensation, the DC assured them that he would look into their demand for additional compensation and submit a request based on the financial condition of the family. The announced Rs ten lakhs compensation amount would be given to the family by today evening, he added.
Following the assurances by the DC, the right wing members have decided to call off their protest. A funeral procession will be taken out within the village limits itself, it is gathered.
It may be recalled that neighbouring Uttara Kannada district remained tense after killing of a Hindu youth named Paresh Mesta.
