Congress MLC Ivan D’Souza’s residence in Valencia area of Mangalore was targeted in a stone-pelting attack on Wednesday night, said police.
The attack occurred shortly after D’Souza made a controversial statement against Karnataka Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot. (ANI)
The attack occurred shortly after D’Souza made a controversial statement against Karnataka Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot. According to police, two unidentified individuals on a bike threw stones at D’Souza’s house before fleeing, only to return minutes later to hurl more stones, causing significant damage to the house’s windows.
Mangaluru City DCP Siddarth Goel confirmed that a case has been registered at the Pandeshwar police station. “Preliminary investigation suggests that two persons committed the crime, which is bailable. We are tracing CCTV footage to identify and apprehend the suspects, who are booked under BNSS Section 324 (mischief),” Goel stated.
The motive behind the attack is believed to be linked to D’Souza’s recent remarks about the Governor following his sanction to prosecute chief minister Siddaramaiah. “If the Governor does not withdraw his order, or if the President does not compel him to do so, Karnataka may face a situation similar to Bangladesh, where the PM fled the country. In this case, the Governor might also escape. The next protest will be a march to the Governor’s office,” D’Souza said on August 19
Police reports indicate that on Wednesday night, D’Souza’s wife, Dr Kavitha D’Souza, had just arrived home and parked her car near the house when the first attack took place. She entered the house within minutes, unaware of the impending second attack. Locals reported that while two individuals carried out the assault on the bike, two others were also seen on foot nearby.
Pandeshwar police arrived quickly at the scene and began reviewing CCTV footage from the area. It was confirmed that Ivan D’Souza was not at home during the incident, as he was attending a party meeting in Bangalore. At the time, Dr. Kavitha, their two daughters, and her brother were present in their home. One of D’Souza’s daughters reportedly witnessed the second attack from an upstairs window, police said.
The police are investigating whether the same group was responsible for both stone-pelting incidents. Additional security has been deployed at D’Souza’s residence, and authorities are working to identify the suspects using CCTV footage.
“I don’t know the motive behind the attack,” D’Souza said, adding that he plans to lead a protest march from his house to the BJP office on Friday in response to the incident.
Meanwhile, Mangaluru North MLA and BJP leader Dr Y Bharath Shetty suggested that the incident could be an inside job. “Ivan’s boys might have done the crime,” Shetty told reporters, alleging that the Congress filed multiple cases against him and other BJP leaders.
Shetty also mentioned plans to approach the special court for elected representatives to file a case against D’Souza for his “seditious statement” against the Governor.
Dakshina Kannada district Congress president MK Harish Kumar, however, pointed fingers at the BJP, suggesting their involvement in the attack. “We suspect BJP’s hand in this incident,” Kumar said, announcing that the Congress will organize a protest march against the incident on Friday.
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