Puttur: A complaint has been lodged at Uppinangady police station seeking a thorough investigation into the suspicious death of a 47-year-old labourer from Karaya village in Beltangady taluk, who was allegedly taken to Shivamogga for coconut-plucking work.

The deceased, Devadas, son of Narayana Poojary, was a resident of Karinja Baitaru House in Karaya village. According to the complaint filed by his wife, Padmalatha, he was taken from Uppinangady on October 23 by Syed Hasan, reportedly a resident of Ullal, on the pretext of providing him with daily-wage work plucking coconuts.

Devadas reportedly died under suspicious circumstances on October 27. His family has raised concerns over the circumstances surrounding his death, the alleged lack of communication about his condition and the manner in which they were informed about the incident.

Padmalatha has sought a detailed investigation to establish what happened to her husband and whether any negligence, harassment or abuse contributed to his death.

Family raises questions over circumstances of death

In her complaint, Padmalatha alleged that the family was not informed about Devadas’s death. Instead, they were reportedly told that he was healthy and receiving treatment at a hospital.

She further alleged that when questions were raised about the incident, Syed Hasan claimed to have made the necessary arrangements with the police department and the hospital. According to the family, this response added to their suspicions and prompted them to demand a proper inquiry.

Padmalatha suspects that her husband may have been made to continue working despite falling ill and may not have been given adequate rest. She has also expressed concern that he could have been subjected to other forms of harassment or abuse.

These are allegations made by the family, and the circumstances surrounding Devadas’s death remain to be established through an investigation.

The family has urged the police to examine the events leading up to his death, including the circumstances in which he was taken to Shivamogga for work and the information provided to his relatives about his health and eventual death.

Complaint allegedly not accepted initially

The complaint has also raised concerns over the alleged initial refusal by Uppinangady police to receive it.

According to the family, Padmalatha approached the Uppinangady police station after learning about the suspicious circumstances surrounding her husband’s death and sought to lodge a complaint against the person who had taken him away for daily-wage work.

The family alleged that the police refused to accept the complaint, stating that since Devadas had died in Shivamogga, she should approach the police there.

Padmalatha reportedly explained that her husband had been taken from Uppinangady and that she wanted to register a complaint concerning the circumstances in which he had left the area and subsequently died. However, the family alleged that the complaint was not accepted at the time.

The incident has raised questions about the handling of complaints involving deaths that occur outside the jurisdiction where the circumstances leading to the incident may have originated.

Former MLA intervenes

Devadas’s relatives said former Puttur MLA Sanjeeva Matandoor intervened after learning about the matter and contacted senior police officials.

Following his intervention, Uppinangady police agreed to receive the complaint on Wednesday, October 28, according to the family.

The relatives have maintained that their primary demand is for a fair and comprehensive investigation into the death. They want the authorities to establish the circumstances under which Devadas died and examine their concerns regarding his treatment and the communication with the family.

The complaint places the circumstances of Devadas’s recruitment for coconut-plucking work, his stay in Shivamogga and the events preceding his death at the centre of the family’s demand for answers.

Further details about any police investigation, post-mortem findings or action against those named in the complaint were not available in the information provided.