BENGALURU: The police covering the Annapoorneshwari Nagar station, where actor Darshan and others arrested in a murder case are being interrogated, with tent cloth has raised many eyebrows.
This became a hot topic of discussion in various quarters on Thursday as it was never heard of or seen before.
The station was covered with tent cloth a day after city police commissioner B Dayananda visited it. This is said to have been done to avoid media and public glare as some visuals from inside went viral.
Although police stations should be kept open 24 hours, the gates of this one were locked on Thursday morning.
The police have also barricaded the road to the station.On Wednesday, police resorted to a mild lathicharge to disperse people who had gathered in front of the station to have a glimpse of their favourite star. In view of such developments, the officers decided to cover the front portion of the station with tent cloth, according to sources.
Meanwhile, prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC have been imposed within a radius of 200 metres from the station. The prohibitory orders will be in force till Monday to prevent people from gathering, protesting, sitting and marching to the station. The police custody of all the accused will end on Monday.
“The visuals telecast by news channels impeded investigations. Seeing mediapersons outside the police station, people may gather there assuming that Darshan may come out. This case is demanding in terms of efforts, forethought and volume,” a senior police officer said.
‘Station covered to prevent commotion’
“We are multi-tasking in terms of collection of information and evidence. We may need certain urgent information from the accused for taking action elsewhere. For a novice in investigation matters, this may appear as a mischief. But in reality, it is not,” a senior police officer said.
Reacting to this, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said the station has been covered to prevent commotion around it. “As per my knowledge, the accused are taken to court by covering their face. In this case, there are chances of fans gathering in front of the station or raising slogans. There are also chances of stone throwing. The police might have taken this decision as a precautionary measure. I do not have much information,” he said.
Meanwhile, the 8th accused in the murder case surrendered before the Chitradurga police on Thursday evening.
The accused has been identified as taxi driver Ravi from Kurubarahatti village in Chitradurga district. He was hired by Chitradurga district Darshan fans’ association president and accused No 4 Raghavendra and Jagadish to take Renukaswamy to Bengaluru. However, after reaching Kunchiganal, Renukaswamy was shifted to another car and taken to Bengaluru.
Ex-MLA gets threat call over protest
Former MLA G H Thippareddy was threatened by a fan of Darshan on Wednesday. Speaking to media persons, he said he got a call while he was returning home after taking part in the protest over the murder of Renukaswamy.
“The caller asked me in a rough voice, Is it Thippreddy, I answered yes. The person questioned me why I took part in the protest to which I replied the entire world knows for what it was conducted, he said.
Renukaswamy’s mother breaks down at his grave
An inconsolable Rathnaprabha, mother of S Renukaswamy, broke down completely at her son’s grave in Chitradurga on Thursday. Rathnaprabha, accompanied by her husband Kashinath, Renukaswamy’s wife Sahana and other family members, visited the grave to perform the third-day rituals as part of the Veerashaiva-Lingayat tradition.
“We want justice. The accused should be given harsh punishment for killing my son,” she cried. Rathnaprabha also sought a court-monitored probe. She also said that Darshan should be banned from the cinema industry.
Film chamber to take call on ban after court verdict
Following the sensational murder case in which Sandalwood actor Darshan has been arrested, the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) held a meeting on Thursday to discuss the next course of action to be initiated against the actor.
KFCC president NM Suresh told media persons that the decision on banning Darshan from the industry will be taken only after the court verdict. He said the members of the chamber will also meet the victim’s family soon and decide on taking up the matter of compensation for the victim with the government.
