Report by Michael Rodrigues
Team Mangalorean Udupi

Udupi: Activists of Samatha Sainika Dala, Udupi district Unit on Wednesday July 25, 2012 organised a dharna in front of the Taluk Office here demanding action against the accused in Srikakulam incident, in which five  persons belonging to the Scheduled Caste were killed. The protesters alleged that the followers of Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president Botcha Satyanarayana were trying to grab the land being cultivated by dalits.

Four dalit people were hacked to death, and about 30 dalit men and women were critically injured in a well-orchestrated attack by Turpu Kapu backward caste forces in Lakshmipeta village of Vangara block in Srikakulam District on 12 June 2012. The Kapu forces targeted 60 dalit families in the village with brutal weapons like bombs, sickles, hatchets and axes, and their action was supported and patronised by the ruling Congress Party leaders of the region. Dalits namely Burada Sundara Rao, Chitri Appadu, Nivarti Venkati  and Nivarti Sangameshu died in the bloodbath, and Bodduru Papaiah breath his last in the Hospital.

Even as the victims brought the high-handedness of the ruling party activists to the notice of the officials, no action was taken. They raised slogans demanding the Government to order a CBI probe into the cases against  who were allegedly behind the attack.The Protesters  urged to the government to provide necessary medical aid to the victims and extend compensation benefits to the bereaved families.

Later  Botcha Satyanarayana’s effigy was burnt during the protest and a memorandum was forwarded to Prime minister of India and Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh through Thasildar of Udupi.

District committee president Vishwanath Petheri, Ganesh Rane, T Keshav, Babanna Birthi, Manjunath Maduvana were present during the protest.