Mangaluru, March 1 Hindu organisations and the BJP observed a bandh on Saturday, condemning police "inaction" for five days after a second-year Pre-University (PUC, Class 12) student went missing in Farangipete town near Bantwal, in Mangaluru district.
Amid growing pressure, the police have deployed two platoons of the Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) and more than 500 police personnel to maintain law and order in the region.
Workers of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), the Bajrang Dal, and the BJP, including women, turned out in large numbers. Most shopkeepers and commercial establishments remained closed in support of the bandh.
The protesters suspect the involvement of a "ganja gang" in the missing case and have urged the police to take action against drug peddlers.
The student, Digant, disappeared on February 25 at 7 p.m. Earlier that day, he had collected his hall ticket for the board exams and later went to Anjaneya Vyayama Shale in the evening but never returned. He was studying at a private PUC college in Mangaluru city.
Later, one of Digant's chappals, with traces of blood, was found near the railway tracks. His mobile phone was also recovered from the same spot.
CCTV footage from the Anjaneya temple captured the suspicious movement of a black car. The jurisdictional Bantwal Rural police, who are investigating the case, have formed three special teams.
The protesters expressed outrage against the police for allegedly concluding that Digant had gone missing due to exam fear and warned that if the police failed to make a breakthrough within the next two days, they would launch a massive protest.
The protesters argued that information gathered from his parents confirmed that he did not fear exams.
They claimed the police were ignoring suspicions about the movement of the black car.
Mangaluru SP Yathish N has personally taken over the investigation. Police personnel and locals conducted searches along railway tracks for two days. The police have also visited Digant's college in Mangaluru and gathered information from his teachers and classmates. However, no significant leads regarding his whereabouts have been found.
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