Mangaluru: Udupi MP Shobha Karandlaje urged the police department to take all appropriate measures to control drug peddling in Dakshina Kannada district. The statement came in wake of the Thota Bengre rape case, where the accused were all believed to be under influence of drugs.
The MP convened a press conference after meeting the victim of Thota Bengre gangrape incident at a counseling center in the city on Sunday, December 2. Karandlaje said, “there is a need to amend the Juvenile Justice Act as three minors are involved in this gang-rape. If the minors are able to rape a woman, they must be punished. Hence, there is a need to bring an amendment to the Act, ensuring minors who are able to rape a woman are punished“, she said.
Informing about the reasons for various criminal acts like gang-rape, molestation, murder, attempt to murder among others Shobha said, “the root cause for these criminal activities is drug addiction. Under the influence of ganja and other intoxicated-drugs, men indulge in such illegal activities. Hence, the police department should find out from where are these drugs being supplied and who are involved and supporting this? “, she said.
When replying to a query on consumption of drugs is not proven on the accused who were involved in the gang rape, Shobha said, “the incident came to light only eight days after the incident. Though victim had been to Bantwal Town police station to file a case in this regard, police allegedly denied filing the case. If the test had been done on the same day, the consumption of drugs would have been proved“, she said.
MLAs Dr. Y. Bharath Shetty and Vedavyas Kamath were present.
