Karnataka church attacks: Report to be submitted in 3 months

A final report on the 2008 Karnataka attacks will be submitted within the next three months.

Vidya Shankar, Secretary of the Justice Somasekhara Commission of Inquiry, divulged Friday that 70 per cent of the work has been completed.

The Commission has so far cross-examined 754 persons of the total 1,019.

Of the remaining 265 deponents, 178 are from Dakshina Kannada, 98 being police personnel. While 41 are from Hindu community the rest belong to Christian community.

"The cross-examination will begin from Monday. It requires two months to complete the procedure," Vidya Shankar was quoted saying by the Global Council of Indian Christians.

Of the total petitions filed before the Commission, 554 were from Mangalore, 239 from Davangere followed by 100 from Udupi and 53 from Bangalore.

Earlier, in February, the Commission in its interim report accused top police officers and district administration for colluding with right-wing Hindu organisations during the violence on Christians.

Justice Somasekhara, a former High Court judge, suggested Karnataka's BJP government to publicly state its commitment to protect all religions.

The Justice Somasekhara Commission of Inquiry was instituted by the government of Karnataka to inquire into the sequence of events and circumstances leading to attack on churches during the month of September 2008 in Dakshina Kannada and other districts of Karnataka.