URGE TO ENCOURAGE KABADDI;

Former captain of Indian Kabaddi team Mr.Ramesh said here that Kabaddi lacks encouragement in Kodagu.

Talking to this correspondent during a private visit here, Mr.Ramesh regretted that inspite of the good physique the people of Kodagu enjoy, they lack interest in Kabaddi. He also opined that lack of Kabaddi club and awareness in Kodagu could be the reason for this lapse.

He disclosed that a Kabaddi academy will be opened in Bangalore shortly and competent candidates from rural side would be trained free of cost in the academy.

He called upon the schools to produce Kabaddi players.

Talking about the International scenario of Kabaddi, Mr.Ramesh said that Iran is the only competitor to India as on today. He recalled that India was beaten only once by Pakistan players during 1994. Its time we produce good Kabaddi players to hold the prestige of the Nation high, he said.

COURT PULLS GOVT, OFFICIALS;

The High court has ordered the government to pay a compensation of rupees 1.5 lakhs to a former Range forest officer for illtreating him. Inturn, the government has asked the state police department to recover the amount from a then SP, DySP and a circle inspector who were held responsible for the ill treatment and inhuman act.

Former RFO and president of the Wildlife First organization Mr.K.M.Chinnappa will get the sum from the then SP Mr.Motiram Choudhuri, DySP Mr.Jayram and CI Mr.Nagarajaiah for their inhuman act committed against him during 1988, 17 years ago.

Mr.Chinnappa was chained and handcuffed by police who took him in a procession on charges of abetting murder accused at nagarhole game sanctuary.

One Kushalappa was allegedly shot dead by a forest watcher Chengappa and a guard during August 1988. Mr.Chinnappa was arrested as he was serving as an RFO during that period. He was hand cuffed even inside the hospital where he was admitted for treatment. But the court decided that Chinnappa was not guilty in the case. Later he appealed to government to pay a compensation of rupees twenty lakhs for the inhuman act committed against him by police. The government ordered a CoD enquiry followed by magisterial enquiry . Both of which said in their report that police excess has been committed against mr.Chinnappa.

Chinnappa moved high court based on these report. The court directed the government to pay a compensation of rupees 1.5 lakh to Mr.Chinnappa.

Now, the government has asked the state police department to recover the amount from the erring officers and pay the fine.

Mr.Chinnappa is a happy man today. He said that justice is done though with a delay of seventeen long years.