Media Release 

Udupi, Aug 17: BJP Udupi district Minority Morcha president Rudolph D’Souza has termed the incident reported in Chamarajanagar “extremely serious and highly condemnable” and demanded an independent judicial or CBI investigation into the matter.

Reacting to allegations of a “fake encounter” and the killing of Christians, D’Souza urged the Congress-led state government to immediately clarify the allegations. He demanded that the case should not be restricted to an internal departmental inquiry and should instead be handed over to an independent judicial inquiry headed by a serving or retired Karnataka High Court judge, or to the CBI.

He also demanded that the forest officials concerned be suspended or dismissed pending completion of the investigation. Those directly involved in the alleged encounter should face murder charges and stringent legal action, he said. D’Souza further demanded that the forest minister take moral responsibility for the incident and resign immediately.

“There should be no eyewash in the name of an investigation. There must be no attempt to suppress the truth or protect those responsible through political influence. Truth, justice and accountability are needed,” D’Souza said.

He also criticised Congress leaders representing the Christian community, including MLC Ivan D’Souza and Christian Development Corporation member Prashanth Jathanna, alleging that they had remained silent without condemning the incident.

The government should immediately register murder cases against those responsible, order an independent judicial or CBI probe and ensure strict punishment under law, D’Souza demanded in a press release.