CHITRADURGA: Chitradurga PSI Gadilingappa and Madhugiri district BJP president Hanumanthegowda locked horns at midnight in front of a hotel near the RTO office on March 14.
Eyewitnesses said that the PSI on patrolling duty had enquired about the reason behind a group of people standing in front of a hotel at midnight. He had reportedly shouted at them.
Hanumanthegowda, present at the spot, informed that he is the president of Madhugiri district's BJP unit and asked Gadilingappa to talk appropriately.
However, the altercation escalated, and Hanumanthegowda used foul language against the PSI.
Gadilingappa alleged that the BJP leader prevented him from discharging his duties. "I only questioned Hanumantegowda on what he was doing with people at midnight," he expressed.
The hotel workers and the public intervened to stop the fight. The town police arrived at the spot immediately and arrested Hanumanthegowda.
Gadilingappa sustained injuries on his fingers and has been admitted to the district hospital for treatment. A complaint of disruption of duty has been registered against Hanumanthegowda, and an FIR has been filed.
Meanwhile, Hanumanthegowda too has lodged a complaint at the police station, and he has been admitted to the district hospital due to chest pain and is undergoing treatment at the ICU.
Meanwhile, the district unit of BJP, led by MP Govind M Karjol, MLC K S Naveen and former MLA G H Thippareddy, met the SP and urged him to book an FIR against PSI Gadilingappa.
BJP state president B Y Vijayendra in an X post said, "After the Congress came to power in the state, cases of murder, extortion, robbery and rape have been continuously happening. A situation has arisen where the safety of the common people cannot be provided and law and order has completely collapsed. Meanwhile, a few low-ranked police officers are resorting to police brutality and even physical assault on ordinary and responsible citizens."
"BJP4Karnataka strongly condemns the hooliganism displayed by PSI Gadilingappa in Chitradurga against our party's Madhugiri (organizational district) district president Hanumanthegowda. Officers who cannot maintain peace in civil society are out to display their police brutality in the middle of the night. Showing hooliganism before attacking a person, regardless of their social status, is like destroying the dignity of the efficiency of the police department."
"A few police officers in their respective positions due to Congress influencers, have adopted a mentality that no one can do anything to them. They are showing their arrogance everywhere," he said.
"The possibility of political motivation behind the Chitradurga incident cannot be denied; the police are behaving like puppets of powerful politicians and are ruining departments' respect," said Vijayendra.
He warned that if the DGP did not immediately suspend Chitradurga PSI Gadilingappa, it would be inevitable for the BJP to join hands with the citizens to fight.