Activists belonging to Hindu Jagruti Sene staged demonstration outside the office of Deputy Commissioner in Kalaburagi on Saturday demanding the reinvestigation into the Soujanya murder case and release of Puneeth Kerehalli who was arrested under the Goonda Act. The activists raised slogans against the State government and later submitted a memorandum to the office of the Deputy Commissioner.
“It is a very sad thing that the killers of Soujanya were not arrested. It is suspected that many influential personalities were involved in the murder of Soujanya in 2012. The government should reopen the case and investigate the case impartially,” an agitating activist said during the protest.
They also condemned the arrest of Puneeth Kerehalli under the Karnataka Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleggers, Drug-offenders, Gamblers, Goondas, (Immoral Traffic offenders, Slum-Grabbers and Video or Audio Pirates) Act and demanded his immediate release. “It is unreasonable to arrest Puneeth Kerehalli, a Hindutva activist, under the Goonda Act. We demand his immediate release. We also demand the government gives protection to Hindutva activists,” another protesting activist said.
Lakshmikanth Swadi, Santosh Sonavane, Sunil Rathod, Dasharath Igole, Raghu Guttedar, Shankar Choka, Sangu Kalanur, Uday Sultanpur, Sanjana Ayi, Somu Talikoti, Prakash Wagmore, Chidanand Swamy and other leaders were present.