MYSURU: While the Karnataka government is already in a tight spot and facing embarrassment after Sidlaghatta Congress leader Rajeev Gowda allegedly abused and threatened CMC woman commissioner Amrutha Gowda, a similar incident has been reported from the Varuna constituency, represented by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. A leader from a village allegedly abused and threatened a woman officer when she visited the site to inspect land earmarked for the construction of a hospital modelled after Nimhans.
GM Puttaswamy alias Benne Puttaswamy, a resident of Gudumadanahalli village in Varuna hobli, has been accused of abusing and threatening Bhavya G, the village administrative officer (VAO) of Bandipalya circle, Varuna hobli. Based on her complaint, the Mysuru South police registered an FIR under the Sections 351(2) (criminal intimidation), 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 79 (insult to the dignity of a woman), and 132 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging official duty) of BNS.
The complaint filed by Bhavya on December 31, 2025 states that 20 acres of land spread across survey no.s 8 (5 acres 5 guntas), 60 (6 acres 10 guntas), and 68 (8 acres 25 guntas) in Gudumadanahalli, Varuna hobli, was allotted on September 29, 2025, to the Director and Dean of Mysore Medical College and Research Institute under the Medical Education Department.
As per orders of the tahsildar, Bhavya, along with Gudumadanahalli Village Assistant Naveen Kumar, visited the village to inspect the land. But Puttaswamy allegedly abused and threatened the officials.
In her complaint, Bhavya stated that Puttaswamy questioned allotment of the land for the proposed hospital and threatened to kill her and behead the tahsildar. She alleged that Puttaswamy attempted to assault her.
As Naveen was recording the incident on his mobile, Puttaswamy rushed towards him, pushed him, snatched his phone, and threatened him as well, the complaint stated. Puttaswamy later handed over the phone to another villager, Raghu, and told him to delete the video, she alleged.
Bhavya said the incident has created an atmosphere of fear, preventing her from discharging her duties freely, and sought police protection and legal action, citing the abuse and intimidation faced as a woman government employee.
A senior police officer told TNSE that Puttaswamy has been absconding after the incident. He said a few villagers, including Puttaswamy, have encroached eight guntas of government land and are cultivating for several years. On Friday, the tahsildar, who had arrived with the police, held a meeting with farmer leaders and persuaded them to cooperate. Land demarcation work is underway.
When questioned, District in-charge Minister Dr HC Mahadevappa said officials should patiently hear people’s problems and try to resolve them. “People must exercise restraint. Officials should listen to people’s problems patiently and try to resolve them,” he said.