Gurunathgouda, elder brother of the slain zilla panchayat member Yogishgouda Goudar, said here on Friday that Goudar’s wife Mallamma has gone missing since Thursday night. However, Mallamma’s family has not filed any complaint so far.
Speaking to presspersons here, Mr. Gurunathgouda also said that Mines and Geology Minister Vinay Kulkarni’s supporters have abducted her with the intention of pressuring her to join the Congress. Congress leader Nagaraj Gauri, Zilla Panchayat Vice-President Shivanand Karigar and Zilla Panchayat member Sureshgouda Patil too are involved in the incident, he said.
Meanwhile, the former BJP MLA Seema Masuti told presspersons that this was the handiwork of the Minister’s supporters who were bringing pressure to bear on Mallamma to strike a compromise formula and put an end to the murder case.
Mallamma was undergoing treatment at a naturopathy hospital near Sirsi for the last one week and it was on Wednesday when Mr. Karigar, Mr. Gauri and Mr. Patil forcibly took her away and held her in captivity in a hotel located at Kundgol Cross. However, Mallamma was set free on Thursday afternoon and since last night, there is no information about her whereabouts, she said.
Ms. Masuti said that in the last several months, Mallamma and her children were subjected to threats which had made their life miserable. The BJP Mahila Morcha would stage a protest in a couple of days across the State, if the Congress workers did not set her free by then. She further said that all these developments took place after the Home Minister’s adviser Kempaiah visited the district to strike a compromise formula and protect the Minister, she said. Meanwhile, there are rumours that Mallamma will join the Congress as she is unhappy with some of the developments taking place within the family and hence, has been to Bengaluru to discuss the matter with some of the Kuruba leaders.
Meanwhile, Mr. Gauri, whose name has been mentioned in connection with this issue, is in Bengaluru. He has said that he was in no way concerned with the matter and that he was in Bengaluru for the last four days for a party meeting.
