Mysterious death of student at Kodagu Sainik School; Parents protest
Madikeri, June 24: The mysterious death of a student at Sainik School of Kodagu at Kudige on Saturday created many doubts. On Sunday, parents and relatives of ninth standard student Chingappa (14) resorted to the protest in front of the mortuary of the district hospital at Madikeri alleging that the boy was killed.
The agitators demanded the Sainik School principal to come to the spot and explain about the incident, besides arresting all the five accused in the case. They said that they would not lift the body unless the five accused named in the complaint- Govindaraju, Manjappa, Mathew, Seema and Sunil, the staff of the Sainik school, are arrested. At this time, relatives of the boy and the police engaged in verbal duals.
The body of the boy was found in the uniform and the incident happened before 2 pm. Even then, the school management had called his father Poovaiah at 6 pm and informed that the boy is missing. Interestingly, the CCTV camera installed at the bathroom was switched off when the incident happened, they alleged.
After Poovaiah left the school to search his son, the body was taken to Kudige hospital in an emergency vehicle. At this time, the vehicle staff informed Poovaiah that his son is dead, they said and took Sainik School PRO Prasad to task for not informing Poovaiah about the death of his son.
Knowing the situation, SP Dr Rajendra Prasad, MLCs Sunil Subramani and Veena Achaiah got information from the school management on the issue. Later, they also consoled the parents and relatives of the boy and promised of taking action against the accused with proper investigation.
MLC Sunil Subramani said that he has informed Lok Sabha Member Prathap Simha who in turn informed the Union Minister asked the Minister to direct the authorities to investigate the issue properly. So, the parents and relatives should call off their protest, he appealed.
Even SP Rajendra Prasad also promised of investigation into the incident. Later, the agitators called of their protest and body was shifted to Madapura, the place of the boy.
Speaking to reporters, SP Rajendra Prasad said that a case was registered at Kushalnagar police station. After collecting CCTV camera footage, the investigation would be started. But the truth will come out only after getting the autopsy report and completion investigation, he said.
MLC Sunil Subramani said that it is a black mark to Kodagu. If the involvement of the school management in the incident is proved in the investigation, he would recommend for suitable legal action, he said.
Clarification
Meanwhile, the school management has clarified that it would cooperate with the investigating agencies to probe the incident.
When Chingappa NP was brought to the primary health centre at 8 pm on June 23, it was confirmed that the boy was dead. Before this, it is said that the student was counseled about his mistake from the concerned teacher. Later, he was found in an unconscious stage at a bathroom in the evening. Suddenly, he was rushed to the Kudige PHC. As the police investigation is going on, the school management will extend all its cooperation in the investigation, the management said in a statement.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Karnataka Guv letter to govt, want to know how it got 'confidential material' from Lokayukta
Bengaluru (PTI): Another letter written by Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to the Chief Secretary, expressing "perplexity", as to how the government came to know about the "confidential material" relating to Lokayukta's request to him seeking prosecution or investigation sanction against some opposition leaders, surfaced on Friday.
In the letter to Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh, the Governor also pointed out that in the August 22 Cabinet decision there is only observation with regard to pendency in according sanction in four cases, and there was no "advice" to him, as reported in the media.
The Karnataka Cabinet has decided to give "aid and advice" to the Governor to act on requests seeking sanction for prosecution against JD(S) leader and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy and three former BJP ministers including mining baron G Janardhan Reddy, the government had said on August 22.
"I have been made aware through media reports published on 23-08-2024 that the Cabinet had advised the Governor to accord sanction for investigation/prosecution proposal against H D Kumaraswamy, Murugesh Nirani, Janardhan Reddy, and Shashikala Jolle received from Lokayukta police without delay," the Governor said in a letter dated August 28.
"But, on thorough reading of the Cabinet decisions, it is further noted, that there is only observation with regard to pendency in according sanction in the above four cases along with dates of submission by Lokayukta Police to this Secretariat but there is no advice as such," he said.
Further noting that he is both "curious and perplexed" to note that how did the State Government and the Cabinet came to know about the request from Lokayukta Police along with dates of submission to the sanctioning authority and other details, the Governor asked, "how did Lokayukta Police being an independent body share confidential material with any person other than the sanctioning authority since I have seen in the media the confidential material floating around?"
"I am also curious to see the Cabinet note/materials regarding this subject based on which the Cabinet has observed and decided and which has been conveyed to me officially. Hence, I expect a prompt and early reply along with Cabinet note/supporting documents and the source of documents/ information in this regard," he added.
The August 22 Cabinet meeting and its decision that the Governor is referring to, was held within a week after him granting sanction for prosecution and investigation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment case on August 16.
On August 19, Siddaramaiah moved the High Court challenging the legality of the Governor's order.
The High Court on September 12 completed its hearing on Siddaramaiah's petition challenging the legality of Governor Gehlot's approval for investigation against him in the MUDA site allotment case and reserved its orders.
In the MUDA site allotment case, it is alleged that compensatory sites were allotted to Siddaramaiah's wife B M Parvathi in an upmarket area in Mysuru, which had higher property value as compared to the location of her land which had been "acquired" by the MUDA.
The MUDA had allotted plots to Parvathi under a 50:50 ratio scheme in lieu of 3.16 acres of her land, where MUDA developed a residential layout.
Under the controversial scheme, MUDA allotted 50 per cent of developed land to the land losers in lieu of undeveloped land acquired from them for forming residential layouts. Some Opposition leaders and activists have also claimed that Parvathi had no legal title over this 3.16 acres of land.
