Udupi SP Arun K has suspended two beat constables, Head Constable Suresh and Constable Nagaraj, in connection with the disturbing incident of a woman being tied to a tree and assaulted at Malpe harbour. The SP explained that the suspension followed the officers’ failure to gather accurate information regarding the assault. He confirmed that the investigation is still underway, and two additional individuals, Leela and Parvathi, were arrested in the case, bringing the total arrests to five.
The State Women’s Commission has strongly condemned the brutal act against the woman and demanded that appropriate legal action be taken against those responsible. The Commission has also requested a detailed report on the actions taken thus far.
The incident has sparked criticism from local political leaders, including Udupi MLA Yashpal Suvarna, who called the act “extremely unfortunate.” He emphasized that both the fisheries and police departments must take effective measures to ensure that such incidents do not occur again. Suvarna criticized the negligence of the fisheries department, noting that despite Malpe being the country’s largest all-season fishing harbour, there was a lack of CCTV surveillance and insufficient security personnel, despite regular thefts at the harbour.
Suvarna further alleged that, despite several meetings between the fisheries, port departments, and coastal security police, no corrective actions were taken. He pointed out that the harbour’s maintenance contract, which expired over a year ago, was extended without proper tender procedures, despite ongoing mismanagement complaints.
The MLA assured that steps would be taken in collaboration with the district administration and Malpe Fishermen’s Association to prevent such incidents in the future. He stressed that these isolated events should not tarnish the reputation of the harbour, especially as local fishermen are already facing challenges due to a poor fishing season and financial distress.
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