Kundapur : Even as the police are investigating into the recent assault on the Udupi reporter of Vijayavani daily Sripathy Hegde Haklady, three accused in the case, have surrendered before the court on February 4, Monday.

The accused are Adikekodlu Udaykumar Shetty, vice-president of Vandse gram panchayat, Totabail Santosh Kumar Shetty, former president of Hattiangady gram panchayat, and Surendra, an auto driver from Kutbeltoor arrived at the court along with several Congress supporters including Vandaballi Jayaram Shetty, Jayalaxmi, Tallur gram panchayat president, Chandravathi Hegde. They were later granted bail in the evening.

It may be recalled here that the attack was in retaliation to the reports published by Haklady exposing irregularities during the election of President of Vandse gram panchayat,. In another development, Udupi DC MT Reju has ordered re-election to the post of President of  Vandse Panchayat on February 13 and has appointed three returning officers to oversee the proceedings.