Student’s death, protest held at Byndoor

MANGALURU: Anger spilled on to the streets of Byndoor, Udupi, on Thursday following the death of Akshata Devadiga, 17, a student who died under mysterious circumstances. Hundreds of college students and others staged a protest in Byndoor and blocked the national highway. Shops in the town remained closed in support of the protest. Her body was discovered near a temple in Ottinene on Wednesday. She is the daughter of Babu and Radha Devadiga. Urupi police said prima facie it is a murder case. Udupi superintendent of police K Annamalai said the body has been sent for autopsy. ``We have got some clues and are awaiting the postmortem report to ascertain the cause and nature of death,'' said Annamalai when queried whether it was a case of sexual assault. Annamalai also ensured a thorough investigation into the case to bring the culprits to book. Following this, the protesters withdrew the protest. However, they said they would stage another protest of there is no development in the probe in three days. IGP Amrit Paul also visited the spot where the girl's body was found. Police sources said that the display of anger was due to another case remaining in limbo for over a year. Rathna Kottari, 17, of Yadthare village in Byndoor, was found dead in a wooded area on July 12, 2014, after she went missing on July 9. Rathna, daughter of Shankar and Saaku Kottari couple, was a first PU student of Government PU College, Shiroor. She had gone missing while on the way to her college. -TOI