Udupi DC seen attending wedding event without mask, people demand suspension as photo goes viral
Udupi: A photo showing Udupi Deputy Commissioner N Jagadish, attending a Mehendi event of Udupi’s Additional SP’s daughter without wearing a mask has gone viral across social media platforms with people outraging over the negligence of the officer and for violating the COVID-19 guidelines.
According to the reports the wedding ceremony was scheduled to be held on April 25 while the Mehendi event was organized on April 23 evening. The District Commissioner had reportedly attended the event along with his family. The DC and the District’s Additional SP were seen in a photo standing next to the would-be bride on the stage, without maintaining appropriate social distance and without a mask.
People on social networking slammed the DC for attending the event and not following COVID protocols. They also added that there was no reference to the ‘Mehendi ceremony’ in the guidelines issued by the state government while for the wedding event only 50 people were allowed to attend and the Mehendi event as such was not permitted to be held. Despite that, instead of stopping the Mehendi event that is not cited in the guideline, the DC has erred by participating in the event, people opined.
Apart from that a video of the event has surfaced on social media and has gone viral showing hundreds of people participating in the event, while a team of dancers was seen escorting the bride in a procession.
In a recent incident, the DC had earned the ire of the netizens for forcing female students who were standing and traveling back home in a bus at Santhekatte, and now he has embraced another controversy.
There is a growing call to suspend the DC on various social media sites in this regard. Hashtag Campaigns against the DC have been reportedly organized on Twitter.
Demands to Suspend DC
“Without maintaining any social distancing or even wearing any mask, look at him standing with a smile at the Mehendi event of police official’s daughter. Law, punishment, reproach, beating is all only for the common people, isn’t it Mr. District Commissioner? Usurp DC Jagadish, shame on you. By the way, in the pass list of wedding guests who provided Aadhar card, was the District Commissioner’s name present? DC Saheb must definitely provide an answer”, progressive thinker Shashidhar Hemmadi posted on Facebook.
“The District Commissioner has committed severe omission of duty by violating guidelines and participating in the Mehendi function. He, violating the rules that were devised by him is disgraceful. The government must review this seriously. A proper inquiry must be conducted. If the issue proves to be true, District Commissioner Jagadish must be immediately suspended”, demanded DYFI Leader Muneer Kaatipalla demanded in a Facebook post.
DC issues clarification:
Jagadish later clarified that the event was a private and family event organized at the house of Additional SP and not at a public place. He clarified that people are bound to wear masks only in public places and not in private spaces. He added that the Mehendi event was a private event and only people of four families had attended the event.
He also added that he attended the event for less than 10 minutes and at the request of the bride he took off the mask for photography on the stage. He clarified that he checked in into the event at 8:40 on Friday and checked out before the weekend curfew was imposed.
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Man sentenced to 10 years in prison for rape
Mangaluru: A court in Mangaluru has sentenced a man to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for raping a 23-year-old woman in 2016.
The accused, identified as Jagannath K Mogera (38) from Kutruppadi village in Puttur taluk, was found guilty of committing the crime on 25 February 2016, as per the case registered with the Puttur rural police station.
The Sixth Additional District and Sessions Court here presided over by Judge Kantaraju S V sentenced the man to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment in the rape case.
The accused reportedly gained entry into the young woman’s home under the pretext of asking for water, knowing that she was alone at the time. He then sexually assaulted her and threatened to kill her if she informed anyone. He continued to assault her multiple times. When the woman became pregnant, her family learnt of the assaults and reported the matter to the police.
Inspector Anil S Kulkarni conducted an investigation and filed charges against the accused.
During the trial, the court examined nine witnesses and reviewed 20 pieces of evidence. Upon finding the accused guilty, the judge sentenced him to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 5,000 under the rape charge and an additional five years of imprisonment and a Rs 5,000 fine under section 506 for criminal intimidation. In the event of non-payment of the fine, an additional two-month prison term will apply.
The court also recommended compensation for the victim through the Legal Services Authority.
Government prosecutor Chaudhary Mothilal represented the prosecution in the case.
