The Karnataka Legislative Committee on SC/ST Welfare on Saturday expressed unhappiness with the delay by the jurisdictional police in probing the case of a Dalit youth being beaten, stripped and paraded naked in Gundlupet taluk.
“Though the incident took place on June 3, a case was registered on June 10. We have come to know that senior and subordinate police officers showed laxity in handling the case. The police should probe such cases fairly and take action against the culprits without any delay,” committee chairman H.K. Kumaraswamy said while chairing a meeting to review the progress of welfare programmes for Scheduled Cast and Scheduled Tribe communities in Chamarajanagar district.
Earlier, the committee visited the Sri Shaneshwaraswamy Temple at Kabbekatte village in the taluk, where the alleged incident took place. Committee members N. Mahesh, Basavaraj Mattigod, R. Prasanna Kumar, all MLAs, and MLC R. Dharmasena accompanied the chairman.
The committee members inspected the “defiled” idol and spoke to the temple committee chairman, Swamy Gowda, an d others in the village.
Minister’s visit
Meanwhile, Minister in charge of Chamarajanagar C. Puttarangashetti also visited the temple on Saturday.
Speaking to reporters, he said the incident came to light only recently though it took place much before. He said he has asked the Superintendent of Police to investigate the matter, which he condemned as an incident that should not have happened at all. People should not forget humanity, he said.
“I was in Bengaluru because of the Cabinet meeting and other engagements. But I told the inspector of the Gundlupet station to take action in the case. I also gave directions to the Superintendent of Police. The accused in the case have been arrested and two policemen suspended for dereliction of duty,” he said.
Deputy Commissioner B.B. Kaveri and Superintendent of Police Anand Kumar were present.
