Lawyer behind ‘save Kali river’ murdered in Karnataka

Lawyer and activist Ajit Nayak was attacked with a sword when returning home from work on Friday.

Image Courtesy: https://www.thenewsminute.com

Dandeli: Renowned Uttara Kannada advocate and activist Ajit Nayak (58) was hacked to death by unidentified people near his office in Dandeli town around 9.30 pm on Friday. Uttar Kannada is a district of Karnataka and shares a border with Goa.
 
He was the president of Dandeli Taluk Horata Samithi and was going towards his car with two people with an intention to return home when a masked person attacked him with a sword. He sustained injuries to his head and ear and was bleeding profusely when being rushed to the hospital. He was declared brought dead. Meanwhile, the attackers fled the scene.
 
“As news of Ajit’s murder spread, many people gathered at the hospital in solidarity where his body was kept on Saturday. The killing also drew reactions from members of bar associations in nearby Sirsi and Karwar, with many members boycotting court proceedings on Saturday,” The News Minute reported.
 
Additional Superintendent of Police, Uttara Kannada, K.G. Devaraju, told The Hindu on Sunday, “We are on track. We are hopeful of cracking the case in two days.” Sources said that the police had got information on the lawyer’s property disputes and the cases he was arguing in court.
 
“Condemning the crime, all lawyers boycotted court proceedings and took out silent marches in Dandeli and other taluk headquarters in Uttara Kannada. They also submitted memoranda to the Deputy Commissioner in Karwar and tahsildars in other taluks of the district seeking strict action,” reported The Hindu.
 
“Nayak was a proponent for several environmental causes, including the rejuvenation of the Kali river. He was the president of the Dandeli Taluk Horata Samiti and an active campaigner of the Kali Bachao Andolan, a movement to safeguard the Kali River from damming, industrial pollution and rampant sand mining. He was also the former president of the Dandeli Block Congress Committee. He was also vocal in the implementation of the Real Estate Regulatory Authority reforms in Karnataka and various other causes like anti-corruption,” the TNM report stated.
 
A case has been registered in Dandeli Town police station. Deputy Superintendent of Police Mohan Prasad, inspector Aneesh Mujawar and sub-inspector Ullas Parmar are in charge of the investigation and said that they are yet to find leads in the case.
 
He is survived by his wife and two sons.