Swamiji on fire over neglect of victims of Shiroor landslide

Ankola: The Naamdhari community (a main sect of the coastal Billavas) has raised an issue with the politicians and the district administration of the Uttara Kannada district over the relief and due attention towards the members of the community who lost lives in the Shiroor landslide incident earlier this year. The landslide, which claimed the lives of seven members of the Namadhari Ediga community, including a woman from the Haallkki sub-community, has drawn sharp criticism over the response from authorities. Rescue operations, led by Kerala-based Arjun, were able to recover some bodies. However, the bodies of Lokesh Nayak and Jagannath Nayak remain untraced, raising questions about the district administration’s efficiency.

Local MLA Satish Sail visited Kerala to hand over the body of Arjun to his family and provided compensation of Rs 5 lakh from the Karnataka government and Rs 1 lakh personally. However, Shaila, district in-charge minister Mankal Vaidya, and Deputy Commissioner Lakshmipriya have yet to visit the families of the deceased, which has led to allegations of neglect.

Prominent Namadhari Ediga leader Sri Sri Pranavananda Swamiji accused authorities of discrimination against the victims, all of whom belonged to the Namadhari Ediga community. He criticised MLA Satish Sail for alleged partiality and vowed to take the matter to court, promising legal action against those responsible for negligence. Addressing a press conference in Ankola, Swamiji, along with taluk president Damodar Nayak, Honnavar taluk president Rajesh Nayak, and women’s wing president Manjula Nayak, warned of intensified protests if the bodies of the missing victims are not recovered and adequate compensation is not provided. Swamiji announced plans for a protest outside the residences of local representatives if their demands are not met.