Protests erupt condemning rape and murder of minor girl in Aland

Activists associated with various organisations, including Jagatika Lingayat Mahasabha and All India Kisan Sabha, staged a demonstration outside Mini Vidhana Soudha in Aland demanding compensation for the kin of victim

Decentralised protests erupted across Kalaburagi district on Thursday condemning the rape and murder of 14-year-old girl at a village in Aland taluk on Tuesday evening.

Activists associated with various organisations, including Jagatika Lingayat Mahasabha and All India Kisan Sabha, staged a demonstration outside Mini Vidhana Soudha in Aland condemning the crime and demanding compensation for the kin of victim.

“The perpetrators of the crime should be punished. A government job should be given to a family member of the victim apart from giving cash compensation,” Maula Mulla, a leader of All India Kisan Sabha demanded during the agitation. A memorandum, addressed to the Governor, was later submitted to the office of Tahashildar.

In another protest in Aland, Janata Dal (Secular) members blocked the Aland main road protesting against the rape and murder of the minor girl. Led by Maheshwari Wali, the party workers burnt tyres and sat in protest on the Karnataka-Maharashtra interstate highway blocking the vehicular movement.

“It is a heinous crime. The perpetrator of the crime should be hanged to death. The punishment should be a lesson to others. There are government-run residential schools in the area and the concerned authorities have not put minimum security measures such as installing CCTV cameras. The district administration should take the incident seriously,” she said.

In Kalaburagi, hundreds of Congress party workers gathered at the office of the Deputy Commissioner and staged a demonstration demanding ₹25 lakh compensation to the victim’s family. Led by District Congress Committee president Jagadev Guttedar and former legislator Allamprabhu Patil, the party workers raised slogans against the State government for its failures to maintain law and order in the State. A memorandum addressed to Chief Minister was later submitted to the office of Deputy Commissioner.

In another protest at the district headquarters, Dourjanya Virodhi Vedike, a conglomerate of different civil society organisations against atrocities, staged a protest demonstration outside the office of Deputy Commissioner.