Dakshina Kannada MP Capt. Brijesh Chowta has strongly criticised the Konaje police for their delay in registering an FIR related to the tragic landslide at Urumane Kodi, Manjanady, that claimed three lives on May 30.
The incident, caused by a 30-foot hill collapse, led to the death of Prem Poojary (60) and her grandchildren Aryan (3) and Aarush (1.5). Survivors Ashwini and Kanthappa Poojary sustained severe injuries and underwent leg amputations.
Chowta visited the injured at K S Hegde Hospital, where the family handed him a memorandum alleging that unscientific construction of a CC road caused the disaster. They claimed they had submitted a formal complaint on May 31, yet police had only filed a UDR (Unnatural Death Report) and failed to register a case against the engineer, contractor, or the gram panchayat PDO.
The MP promptly called Konaje inspector Rajendra, demanding immediate FIR registration. “I’m telling you now as an MP—register the case and then investigate,” he insisted.
Simultaneously, Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh has ordered a detailed probe into the mishap. The directive, addressed to the Dakshina Kannada DC and ZP CEO, follows a complaint citing negligence by KRIDL, lack of geotechnical survey, and absence of forest permissions for hill cutting.
Authorities must now submit a report, and public attention is on whether legal action will now be initiated alongside the administrative inquiry.
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