Bangalore: Law Minister Promises Action Against Bajpe SI for Caning Students
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Feb 3: The police lathi-charge against primary school students for staging a protest against the removal of a speed breaker in front of the Ansar school and a Mosque near Kenjar and also for withdrawal the one-way movement restriction figured in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Friday.
The Moodibidri Congress MLA Abhayachandra Jain raised the issue of the police lathi-charge against the protesting students on January 16 during the zero hour in the House.
Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister S Suresh Kumar, who is also the Leader of the House in the Assembly, said the State Government would conduct a probe into the incident and take suitable disciplinary action against the Sub-Inspector of Bajpe for resorting to lathi-charge against the protesting students.
With the students, obviously egged on by local residents and allegedly by the teachers of the school, resorting to road-side protests, altercations between the police and the local people reportedly created commotion.
The police resorted to lathi-charge against the protesting students and the public to disperse the crowd and bring the situation under control.
A police vehicle and other vehicles were reportedly damaged due to stone pelting during the commotion following the altercation.
The local people reportedly objected to the road humps installed in front of the school and the mosque between the Bajpe airport and Kenjar as it caused lot of accidents due to its unscientific design and no proper warning to motorists.
They were also critical of the decision of the authorities of not laying similar road humps on other parts of the road despite heavy traffic.
The Law Minister, who replied to the issue on behalf of the Home Minister R Ashok in the House, said it was unfortunate that the police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse students when they staged a protest demanding a speed breaker in front of the school.
Students were also opposing one-way movement of vehicles on the road.
The Mangalore Police Commissioner would be asked to conduct the probe into the issue. Action would be taken against the police inspector after the probe, the Minister said.
The Congress MLA alleged that students were injured in the lathi-charge and admitted to a hospital in Bajpe.
Despite a plea to the Police Commissioner about 15 days ago, no action has been taken against the circle inspector, he said.
The Congress member demanded suspension of the police officer and an impartial probe into the matter.
Incidentally, the Bajpe police inspector Dinakar Shetty reportedly lodged a complaint against the members of the Governing Council, Headmistress and other teachers as well as local Grama Panchayat President for allegedly instigating the students to stage a protest, misbehaving with the police.
The complaint also mentioned that sub-inspector of police Anant Murdeshwar and headconstable Suresh were injured in the stone pelting and a police jeep was damaged.
The local people have also lodged a counter complaint against the police for their alleged high-handedness and lathi-charge against students peacefully staging the protest.