Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (ANK/SB)
Mangaluru, Oct 28: Mayor Kavita Sanil has been accused of assaulting a woman from Bagalkot on the night of Thursday October 19 at her apartment in Bejai here. However, the mayor denied the allegation in a press meet later in the evening.
Kamala, wife of the watchman employed at the apartment where Kavita Sanil stays, alleged in her complaint that the mayor assaulted her.
Kamala along with family has been staying in the Bejai apartment for the past one year. She has been taking care of the mayor's daughter whenever she goes out to play.
According to the complaint, on October 19 Kamala wanted to bring some matter about her daughter playing outside to the attention of Kavita Sanil, but the latter, since she was about to go out, lost patience and allegedly assaulted Kamala for complaining about her daughter.
Kamala along with her husband on Friday October 27 approached Pandeshwar women's police station and filed a complaint against the mayor. BJP corporator Roopa D Bangera too joined her in support.
'Allegations fake': Mayor
Addressing a press meet later in the evening, mayor Kavita Sanil denied the allegations and said that on the night of the alleged incident, she was at Saanidhya school participating in Diwali celebrations, and that her daughter along with two other children was bursting crackers in the premises of her apartments.
Her daughter Prisha who was present at the press meet told reporters, "I was bursting crackers and playing with sparkling firework sticks. The watchman's son was disturbing me and he applied a hot sparkling stick to my leg. Out of anger I chased him and caught his shirt. Looking at this, his mother chased me down the foothpath for half an hour but I managed to escape. She even used abusive words."
Her mother, the mayor said, "I came to know about this incident only after my neighbour told me. I enquired with the watchman's wife and told her that I would complain to the police. This conversation lasted only 3 minutes. Then I left from there (watchman's room). The CCTV shows that the watchman's wife and her child then came out of their room smiling.
"I am deeply hurt over the fake allegations levelled against me. I cannot think of assaulting her. Even I am a mother," she said.
Hinting BJP's role in the allegations, she said, "The CCTV also clearly shows BJP corporator and MCC opposition leader Roopa D Bangera and another BJP leader Pooja Pai visiting the watchman and his wife that night. I suspect something fishy.
"The incident happened on October 19, and all these days the watchman and his wife were silent. But after the BJP leaders visited them last night, these allegations came up.
"Today, our flatmates conducted some inquiry about the watchman. He told one of the residents that he was in the BJP office, and that they (BJP) were shooting his and his wife's statements on camera. It is clearl that BJP is behind these fake allegations. I will also file complaint against the fake allegations and against those who conspired in this," the mayor said.
BJP demands mayor's resignation
Meanwhile, on Friday, BJP demanded Kavita Sanil's resignation over the matter.
Addressing a press meet here, BJP leader Vedavyas Kamath said, "This incident has brought shame to the entire Mangaluru. The mayor is good at Karate but unfortunately she used her skills against a woman who works in her apartments. Being a responsible person she should not have done this. The incident has brought embarassment to the people of Mangaluru.
"When Congress corporator Vinayraj vandalised the I-T office in the city, the police claimed that he was absconding. Now in this case, the police should not act so foolish as to give such statements about Kavita Sanil. Police should take stringent action against her," he demanded.
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