HUBBALLI: Vishwanath Sajjanar, the Commissioner of Cyberabad, is not new to 'encounters'.
He was previously involved in the Warangal 'encounter' of December 13, 2008, where three youths, allegedly involved in the acid attack on two girls, were shot dead.
The Express reported that 'encounter' thus: The police, under pressure for failing to act in time to prevent the acid attack, claimed they were forced to fire at the trio - Shakamuri Srinivasa Rao (25), Potharaju Harikrishna (22) and Bajjuri Sanjay (22) - in 'self-defence'.
Even then there were many who cheered the actions of Sajjanar and the cops as our report noted: Hundreds of people, including girl students, employees and senior citizens, visited the encounter site and expressed their happiness at the killings. "They should have been killed in a public place. They got what they deserved," the locals said.
Social media posts reposed confidence on the “Sajjanar style of justice”.
In February 2004, while Sajjanar was Kadapa SP, he had led an operation in which a notorious offender Tamalapakula Sudhakar Reddy was gunned down.
He was an accused in crimes against women.
In 2010, Bhikku Pawar, who had killed a constable in Medak, was gunned down by the police. Sajjanar was the Medak SP at the time.
Thursday, December 6, 2019, was no different.
The actions of Sajjanar and his team have again been hailed by many, even as others like lawyer Rebecca John have questioned it, wondering "did we even have enough evidence to suggest they (the four accused) committed the crime?"
Such concerns did not reach the home of Dr Mallikarjun Sajjanar, the elder brother of Vishwanath Sajjanar, who hails from Hubballi and has his roots in Gadag district.
Dr Mallikarjun, a medical practitioner in Hubballi, has been receiving congratulatory calls since morning. Visitors, who have been expressing their happiness, too flocked to his doorsteps.
Dr Mallikarjun, however, did not want to speak about the 'encounter' when team TNIE visited his residence.
"As a citizen of the country, I am happy with the police decision. My brother is an active police officer and it was in recognition of his service that he was made the police commissioner of Hyderabad," he said.
Vishwanath Sajjanar is an MBA graduate, who after clearing the UPSC exams in 1996, had joined as an IPS officer in the Andhra cadre.
He was born and brought up in Hubballi. He did his schooling at Lions English Medium School in the city and B.Com at JG College of Commerce. Later, he completed his MBA from the Kousali Institute of Management Studies, Karnatak University.
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He worked with his father CB Sajjanar, who was a tax consultant, in the city. But he then became keen on taking the UPSC exams and is now serving as an IPS officer.
Dr Mallikarjun said Vishwanath had visited Hubballi two weeks ago and they speak often about their professions.
But after the 'encounter' in Hyderabad, he has still not spoken to his family members.
"Many people are calling me and offering congratulations over the incident. Friends and family members visited the house. I do not want to comment on the issue as it is sensitive," he pointed out.
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