Kannada filmmaker Yogaraj Bhat booked after death of crew member at film set
A case has been registered against Kannada filmmaker Yogaraj Bhat and three others after a crew member allegedly fell from a 30-foot ladder during the shooting of a film, police said on Saturday.
The incident occurred on September 3 during the shooting of Kannada movie titled 'Manada Kadalu' near Adakamaranahalli in Dasanapura in Madanayakanahalli police station limits.
According to police, light boy Mohan Kumar (24) reportedly fell from a ladder during the shooting of the film and sustained severe injuries. He was shifted to a hopsital, where he died.
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Based on a complaint we received from the victim's brother, a case was registered against Bhat and three others, including the assistant director and producer, a senior police officer said.
"We have served notice to those named in the FIR and further investigation is underway," he said.
Meanwhile, Film Industry for Rights & Equality (FIRE) that began in 2017, with the intention of providing a justice platform for neglected and deprived groups in the film industry, including workers, has expressed condolences to victim Kumar and his family.
"Any death in the film industry is a loss to us all. In the future, FIRE intends to work with all Okkutas & all workers' unions, all bodies of the Kannada film industry and the Labour department of our state government to provide fundamental benefits to our workers," stated a release issued by the organisation.
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Kudupu mob lynching: Victim’s brother asks Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao to ensure probe is unbiased
Mangaluru: District In-charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao was handed a memorandum by Jabbar, brother of Ashraf who was allegedly lynched by a group of men in Kudupu near the city recently, requesting for justice to the family by ensuring the investigation is conducted in an unbiased manner.
The victim, Pulpalli Ashraf, a native of Wayanad in Kerala, was reportedly assaulted and lynched by a group of men playing cricket in Kudupu on April 27.
In his memorandum to the minister, Jabbar has said that several loopholes were found in the investigation conducted so far by the police in relation to the case. “The matter has been reported by media houses too. The police officials have not followed the procedure while filing the FIR and also in certain aspects of the investigation. Although the investigation officer and two constables have been suspended for the shortfalls, replacements have not been provided,” Jabbar pointed out and pressed for the immediate appointment of an unbiased and efficient officer to handle the case.
He also requested for an immediate announcement of legal compensation to the families of victims of mob lynching cases.
Jabbar further referred to the Supreme Court judgment in the Tehseen Poonawalla case that mob lynching cases should be handled by Fast Track Courts, and asked for a Fast Track Court to hear Ashraf’s case.
He said that this was the first case of mob lynching reported in Karnataka since the implementation of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) 2023. Jabbar demanded the immediate appointment of a Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) for this case and legal authorities to follow the apex court’s directives without fail to prevent recurrence of such incidents.
