Madikeri: Kodagu District Auto drivers’ and Owners’ Association has set a deadline of one week for the police to crack the auto driver Praveen Poojary murder case that took place recently in Kushalnagar.

Addressing a news conference on Thursday, District President of the Association D H Medappa has warned of a district-wide protest in case the police fail to meet the deadline.

Medappa said that Kodagu district is a hilly terrain and the auto drivers have been rendering valuable service in these difficult terrains even late in the night. These drivers lack security, he said adding that though earlier there was a provision for the auto drivers to take another person along with him while on late night trips, the auto drivers had misused the provision in the past due to which the same was stopped.

Keeping Praveen Poojary murder case in mind, Medappa said that the old provision must be put in place again. He further said that when the Association raised the murder case of Praveen and demanded formation of special team to crack the case, the Superintendent of Police responded positively.