The Hindu : Karnataka News : Ban orders in Sindhanoor after man's death

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 05, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

Ban orders in Sindhanoor after man's death

By Our Staff Correspondent

RAICHUR, NOV. 4. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Cr. <149>P.C. have been clamped on Sindhanoor in Raichur district after tension gripped the town following the death of a person who was arrested by the rural police.

The deceased has been identified as K. Shamanna (40), a close relative of K. Veerupakshappa, Koppal MP.

According to reports, Shamanna entered into an argument with Suryanarayana Rao, sub-inspector of Sindhanoor Rural police station, when his vehicle was stopped at Sripuram Junction Cross on Tuesday night. The police arrested him along with another person and they were taken to the police station. They were released after cases were booked against them.

However, it was alleged that Shamanna was found seriously injured after he was released by the police. His relatives got him admitted to the Government Civil Hospital and he died the same night.

Police gheraoed

As news of his death spread, a mob of 1,000 people came to the police station and gheraoed the police officials alleging that Shamanna was beaten up by the sub-inspector which resulted in his death. There were arguments with the policemen and some in the mob indulged in stone-<149>throwing.

The police baton <149>charged the mob when the situation threatened to go out of control.

The vehicle of Mohammed Mahbub, Assistant Commissioner, Lingsugur, who had come there, was stoned. Besides, three police jeeps were also damaged. Normality returned after the Assistant Commissioner promised that a detailed inquiry would be conducted into the incident. The body of Shamanna was taken to his village after post-mortem.

Dharna

On Thursday morning, relatives of Shamanna brought the body to the town and staged a dharna at a circle in front of the tehsil office demanding another post-mortem in presence of the Assistant Commissioner and suspension of the police sub-inspector and the constables who they charged had beaten up Shamanna.

They threw stones at the NEKRTC buses causing damage to the vehicles. They also tried to set fire to another bus. Following the trouble, tension gripped the town and business establishments downed shutters. The Superintendent of Police, P. Harishekaran, reached the town and assured the people that he would order an inquiry into the incident.

After a preliminary inquiry, he ordered suspension of the sub-inspector and three constables of the rural police station. He also directed registration of cases against them.

H.V. Parsvnath, Deputy Commissioner, told The Hindu that the police had arrested two persons, including Shamanna, while inspecting vehicles at Sripura Junction. But they were soon released. After coming out of the police station, Shamanna complained of stomach pain and his relatives got him admitted to the civil hospital where he died.

He said that he had asked the Assistant Commissioner to probe the incident and submit a report.

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