Daijiworld Media Network – Karkala
Karkala, Jan 5: A theft has been reported at the Parashurama Theme Park in Karkala, where unidentified miscreants allegedly broke open the main gate and stole copper sheets fixed to the roof of the structure.
According to police, the incident came to light on January 3 at around 4.30 pm, when Santosh, a former watchman of the theme park, alerted officials about the break-in. Arun Kumar, project director of Udupi Nirmithi Kendra, later lodged a formal complaint at the Karkala Town police station.
Based on the complaint, Karkala Town police registered a case under Crime No. 01/2026, Section 303(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. Police officials, including sub-inspector Shivakumar S R, visited the spot and conducted an inspection. Fingerprint experts, a dog squad and the Scene of Crime (SOCO) team were deployed to collect evidence. Further investigation is in progress.
Karkala MLA V Sunil Kumar strongly condemned the incident and said it was a dark day in the history of Karkala. The Parashurama Theme Park was launched with the vision of turning the constituency into one of the state’s top tourist destinations, but that dream has been ruined due to politics driven by hatred and jealousy. For the past two years, the funds required for the project’s development were deliberately withheld, leading to its complete neglect and deterioration. A place that should have attracted tourists, students and cultural enthusiasts has now reached a shameful condition where thieves could easily break in and steal even the copper sheets from the roof.
He further stated that the situation was not accidental but the result of political interference and indifference. It is alleged that during his visit to Karkala, deputy chief minister D K Shivakumar instructed local Congress leaders to keep the project stalled until the next election, which further worsened the situation. The district administration has also failed in its duty, as public entry to the theme park was banned in September 2023, yet illegal entry and video recording continued without action. He demanded that those who trespassed illegally be questioned and the culprits involved in the theft be arrested immediately, adding that history would not forgive those responsible for destroying Karkala’s tourism potential.