Fast track courts to try crime against women in Karnataka

Fast track courts will be set up soon to try crimes against women in Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said Thursday.

Establishing these courts was part of several steps his government would take to prevent crime against women in the state, he said.

The government's decision follows the June 20 kidnapping and gang-rape of a medical student in Manipal, a major educational centre, in the coastal district of Udupi.

About 10 such courts would be set up, Siddaramaiah said at meet-the-press programme organized here by the Bangalore Press Club and Bangalore Reporters Guild.

Two men have been arrested and hunt is on for the third in connection with the crime against the medical student who hails from neighbouring Kerala.

On his government agreeing to allow Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail, Siddaramaiah said the decision would not affect retailers.

The previous Bharatiya Janata Party government in the state had opposed FDI in multi-brand retail.

However, the BJP lost power to Congress in the May 5 assembly elections.

Siddaramaiah noted that there were fears in a section of the people over allowing FDI in multi-brand retail but asserted that people's interest would not be hit as at least 30 percent of the goods should be procured locally.

He dismissed BJP's opposition to FDI in multi-brand retail was for the "sake of opposition only".