Udupi: Chandrakanth Bhat, who was arrested under charge of brutally assaulting a 50-year-old Dalit woman recently for feeding stray dogs near his house at Indrali in Hayagriva Nagar, has been remanded in 14 days of judicial custody.

The Dalit woman, Baby, a resident of Kunjibettu Budnar was grievously injured in the attack and is being treated at the Ajjarakadu Hospital.

Bhat was reportedly angered that Baby, who is learned to have been acquainted with Bhat, was feeding the stray dogs near his house. Taking an objection to this, Bhat not only abused the woman verbally but also reportedly hit her on the head with a wooden rod.

A case was booked against Bhat at the Manipal Police Station under Indian Penal Code (IPC) 1860 and the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Bhat was arrested by Manipal Police on March 21 and, when he was presented before the court, the bench ordered that he be sent to judicial custody for 14 days.

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The Udupi District Committee of the Karnataka Dalita Sangharsha Samiti (Ambedkar faction) has alleged that the authorities, under pressure from the local legislator, admitted the arrested accused to the Udupi District Hospital on the same night, claiming ill-health. The panel has also said that the accused has been receiving 'royal treatment' at the hospital.

The Committee office-bearers, who spoke to Udupi Superintendent of Police Dr. Arun K, have urged the senior police officer to take strict action and ensure that there is no violation of the law in handling the case. They have also asked the SP to continue the investigation after adding the IPC Sections that were excluded in the FIR.

The panel members also met the attack victim Baby at the District Hospital with the permission of the Udupi Deputy SP, who is the investigation officer.

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Patna (PTI): Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar did not attend the Niti Aayog meeting in New Delhi on Saturday, officials said.

The state was represented at the meeting by deputy chief ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, they said.

The cause for Kumar's absence from the crucial meeting could not be known immediately.

"This is not the first time that the CM is not attending the Nitish Aayog meeting. The CM did not attend the meeting earlier as well, and Bihar was represented by the then deputy CM. This time also both the Dy CMs went to attend the meeting," JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar told PTI.

"Besides, there are four Union ministers from Bihar who are members of the Aayog and they will be present in the meeting. There is nothing to say on this," he added.

The ninth governing council meeting of the Aayog discussed the 'Vikshit Bharat@2047' document with an aim to make India a developed nation.

The council, the apex body of Niti Aayog, includes all CMs, Lt Governors of Union territories and several Union ministers. PM Modi is the chairman of Niti Aayog.