KASARGOD: The Badiadka police on Friday arrested five persons, including two IUML leaders, on charges of abetment of suicide, a day after a dentist was found dead near the Udupi railway station in Karnataka.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) called a dawn-to-dusk hartal in Badiadka panchayat on Friday demanding action against those responsible for the death of Dr S Krishnamoorthy. Police said Dr Krishnamoorthy’s body was shredded into pieces after being hit by a train. His wife had on Tuesday reported that the dentist was missing.
The Badiadka police said they had earlier received a complaint from a 32-year-old woman, who accused the doctor of sexually misbehaving with her when she went to his clinic. On Tuesday, five persons went to the doctor’s clinic and asked him to apologise in public for allegedly misbehaving with the woman. The doctor reportedly told them that he needed time to think about their suggestion. On hearing this, they left the clinic but returned after half-an-hour. They reportedly threatened the doctor saying, the woman would lodge a complaint with the police if he fails to apologise. On hearing this, the doctor left the clinic on his bike and he was missing since then, the police said.
His bike was found at the Kumbla railway station around 3pm on Tuesday. Later in the day, the woman lodged a complaint with the police, accusing the doctor of sexual misbehaviour. As Krishnamoorthy didn’t return to his house, his wife filed a missing person complaint. The police registered both cases.
On Thursday, Brahmana Sabha, an organisation of Brahmins, took out a march to Badiadka police station demanding the police find the missing doctor. The organisation also demanded action against those who threatened him. On the same day, the police found the doctor’s body in a mangled state as he was hit by a train near the Udupi railway station.
Badiadka SHO Aswith S Karanmayil said the five persons were charged with Section 306 (abetment of suicide) and arrested. The accused are Muhammed Haneefa alias Anwar Ozone, former panchayat member and secretary of IUML’s Badiadka panchayat unit; Ali Thuppakkal, secretary of IUML’s Kumbadaje panchayat unit, Muhammed Shihabudeen of Annadukka, Ashraf of Kumbadaje, and Umarul Farook of Vidyagiri.
(Suicide helplines -- Maithri, Cochin: +91 239 6272; Sumaitri, New Delhi: 2338 9090, Sneha, Chennai: 91-44-2464 0050, 91-44-2464 0060, Aasra, Mumbai: 9820466726, Fortis MentalHealth: 8376804102)