Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)
Udupi, Mar 4: Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP, Shobha Karandlaje, has acquired an American pistol because of threatening calls she had received. After she received life threat over phone subsequent to the murder of Sharat Madivala at B C Road, she had applied for pistol to protect herself. Bengaluru city commissioner of police has recently upheld her request and granted her permission to acquire a pistol.
It is gathered that the pistol, which is meant for self defence, was bought by Shobha from Sakleshpur.
Sources said that she had received several death threats after the murder of Sharath Madivala, a Hindu activist.
Shobha, who claims that the security environment in the state has worsened and an atmosphere of fear prevails, bought the pistol as she was told that it was advisable to have a firearm handy. She also said that BJP has been insisting that terrorists and Congress are behind the murders of Hindu activists in the state and that her party has been demanding for banning of organizations like Popular Front of India and Karnataka Forum for Dignity. She feels that there is increased perception of fear in Karnataka and hence she needs a pistol for self defence.
Media persons asked Shobha about her pistol when she came to BJP office here on Friday. She said it was in the bag but the bag was left inside her car. She keeps the pistol in her vanity bag and the MP also confessed that sometimes she entrusts it to her gunman. But after acquiring it she said the fear of threat calls has become substantially less.
Shobha stated that she had complained to Chikkamagaluru superintendent of police, Annamalai, about the threat calls, but the callers could not be identified as the calls were made by using internet. She said that the police found it impossible to pinpoint the callers or their locations as IP address of every call kept changing and it was hard to find whether the calls emanated in India or abroad.
Some say that Shobha, who is an avid supporter of Prime Minister's Make in India campaign, was wrong in acquring a pistol made in a foreign country.