Kambala star pleads cops to save him from humiliation in K'taka

Bengaluru, July 16 (IANS) Srinivasa Gowda, the Kambala jockey who was branded as ‘Usain Bolt of India last year after he reportedly covered a 125-metre buffalo racing track in just 9.55 seconds, has lodged a complaint with the Moodbidri police, asking the cops to save him from the abuse and insult by private persons who are intimidating him without any reason.Gowda has named Prashanth Bangera and Machur Kalpade Lokesh Shetty in his complaint. As the audio of the abuse of Gowda went viral on social media, hundreds of people along with MLA Umanatha Kotiyan and former minister Abhay Chandra Jain staged a protest in Moodbidri, urging the police to save Gowda who had brought laurels to Kambala, by taking action against the culprits.When contacted by IANS, Gowda said the accused persons developed personal enmity after he was awarded 'Kreeda Ratna' by the state government. Sports lovers from across the state have expressed their love and support for Gowda, but the accused persons had mocked his poor financial condition and also made scathing remarks on the Kambala sport.
--IANS mka/arm