DHARWAD: If rumours are to be believed, Congress leaders have “kidnapped” Mallamma Goudar, wife of slain BJP worker Yogishgouda Goudar, and are trying to persuade her to join the party.
Though, her close relatives are confirming this development, the Congress has denied it flatly.
Ever since the murder of her husband, Mallamma has been after District Minister Vinay Kulkarni, accusing him of being a force behind the killing of Yogish.
Recently, Gurunathgouda, brother of Yogish, had charged that the minister was influencing the probe by tampering with evidence and pressuring him and his family members to strike a compromise with the accused in the murder case. It is alleged that some Congressmen wanted to bring her to the party to save their leader.
Mallamma has been missing from her home at Govanakoppa since Thursday night. The allegation is that she has been kidnapped and kept in a secret location. Former BJP MLA Seema Masuti said Mallamma and her sister Suma were at Nisarga Chikastala in Sirsi following her ill health.
Congress leaders abducted her from there and took her to Viashnavi Lodge in Kundgol. Later, zilla panchayat vice president Shivanand Karigar, Nagaraj Gouriand Sureshgouda Patil and other Congress leaders exerted pressure on Mallamma at the lodge, she said. “Yielding to the pressure, Mallamma had left home and it is unknown where she is. The government should consider the issue seriously and make arrangements to keep her safe until she returns to home. It seems that police are also scared of the minster. Instead of upholding justice, they are behind the minster”, she alleged.
Asked about the rumours of Mallamma joining the Congress, she said she will not do so at any cost.
Meanwhile, Gurunathgouda met with MLC Pradeep Shettar and explained the incidents details and sought help in finding Mallamma. He is thinking of filing a complaint with the police, sources said.