MANGALORE: Mangalore city police has taken note of threatening calls made by an unidentified person to woman employee of a private institution in Moodbidri. The employee Kavitha (name changed) had approached Moodbidri police with a complaint about receiving phone calls threatening her on July 25. The police, despite summoning the accused to police station for inquiry, did not register any case against him.

Lingappa Nanthoor, a dalit leader who raised the issue at the monthly SC/ST grievances redressal meeting convened by city police here on Sunday said neglect of such instances have often led to more serious crimes against women in general and women from dalit communities in particular. "Police after calling the accused for questioning strangely was not able to find him when the complainant came there," he said.

Kavitha told M Muthuraya, deputy commissioner of police (law and order) that she visited Moodbidri police station on more than one occasion, taking time off from her work after being asked to come there in connection with her complaint.

"However, the accused was not there whenever I landed at the station," she said. Muthuraya directed M Puttamadaiah, ACP, Mangalore north sub-division to produce the accused before him at the earliest.

Reacting to query by SP Anand, a dalit leader, about delay that victims of SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act face in getting compensation on account of technicalities raised by the department of social welfare, Muthuraya said he would take up the issue with the city police chief. Anand said the department is insisting they get a report from city police commissioner about the incident.

Citing the instance of delay faced by a dalit woman , the victim of an incident of sexual assault registered in Moodbidri police station limits, in receiving compensation, Anand said the victim should not be penalized for official procedures. Subashchandra, ACP, said the report of the investigating officer - ACPs in this case - is what matters in cases registered under the act. Muthuraya assured Anand that he would get the issue sorted out with the department.