Daijiworld Media Network – Sullia (SP)

Sullia, Dec 23: Under the instructions passed by the Chief Minister, D V Sadanada Gowda, to the director general of police (DGP) to hold departmental inquiry relating to complaints of police atrocities on BJP leaders in the stone pelting incident on the police station here, state additional director general of police (ADGP), Bipin Gopalakrishna, visited the town on Thursday and began inquiry. During the inquiry proceedings, statements were obtained from 12 persons.

It is learnt that the DGP has been given time till 5 pm on December 26 to submit the inquiry report.

RSS leader, Na Seetharam, victims of alleged atrocities, P K Umesh and Prakash Hegde, taluk BJP president, Venkat Dambekody, taluk panchayat president, Muliya Keshava Bhat, SKADS president, Jalsoor Jayaram Rai apart from some others, gave statements. Relating to the forcible entry into her house, town panchayat member, Sarojini, mother of Mahesh Menala, who has been named in the police first information report, and Sanjeevi Rai, wife of Prakash Hegde, Lata, were also among those from whom written statements were obtained by the ADGP.

Sarojini, addressing a press conference, said that her son, Tanudeep, who was chased away by the policemen who broke open the doors of her home at around 3 am, was not to be seen thereafter. She requested people to trace her son.

A 40-page long statement signed by Na Seetaram and some BJP leaders, which has traced the history of communal violence in the region during the last two decades, and covers Love Jihad, abetment of violence by certain communal forces, cattle trafficking, etc, was handed over on this occasion.

It is learnt that a Congress party delegation met the ADGP and complained against the BJP leaders for taking law into their hands. The delegation included Congress president, M Venkappa Gowda, leaders, T A Shahid, P A Mohammed, Dinesh Ambekallu, and others. A delegation of Social Democratic Party of India led by its local president,  Abdul Kalam, also submitted a petition to the ADGP.

The ADGP said he would be conducting inquiry of the police officials blamed for mishandling of the issue, on Friday. He was accompanied by western range inspector general of police, Pratap Reddy, and district superintendent of police, Labhu Ram.

Addressing a press conference, BJP president, Venkat Dambekody, said that the inquiry had begun at the behest of the BJP leaders, who had explained in detail about the atrocities inflicted on its activists, to the CM. He informed that Manjula, president of Karnataka Women’s Commission, will soon visit the town to hold inquiry. He added that Human Rights Commission will also be approached in this incident. He demanded for the immediate suspension of the station house officer and other personnel of the local police station involved with the inhuman treatment of people. He was accompanied by various BJP leaders.

In another press conference held at the town panchayat office here, its president, Sumati Narayan, condemned the police atrocities on vice-president, Prakash Hegde, and demanded action against the guilty.