BANGALORE: In connection with the honour killing reported in Ambalawadi village in Mandya district, the family members of Dalit youth Govindaraju, the boyfriend of the victim Suvarna, 23, met the Chairman of the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) Justice S R Nayak, and requested him to give them protection as they were facing life threat from parents and relatives of the victim.
Govindaraju’s father Dodda Venkatachala, mother Sunithamma, elder brother Thimmappa and sister-inlaw Thayamma visited the SHRC office along with members of various organisations on Monday morning and sought justice from Justice S R Nayak.
They submitted that they have been living under fear as Suvarna’s father Davalana Ramakrishna, a local farmers’ association leader, and her relatives had threatened to burn the Dalit family members alive if they approached the police.
They also alleged that the local police, despite knowing who the accused were and where they were hiding, were not taking action against them.
“The police are trying to destroy the evidence as the accused is well-off and belongs to a socially powerful community,” they charged, requesting Nayak to direct the police to investigate the case impartially.
Nayak assured them that he would direct the SHRC officials to conduct an inquiry into the matter and submit a detailed report about it.
He also assured that he would visit the village soon to take stock of the situation, and direct the police to probe the matter impartially. Thimmappa later told that he would also meet the DG & IGP and seek protection.