Tension gripped Channagiri town in Karnataka on Saturday, May 25, following protests triggered by an alleged custodial death.
The protests erupted after the death of 30-year-old Adil, who had been detained by the police on suspicion of being involved in betting (Matka).
According to Davanagere Superintendent of Police Uma Prashanth, Adil collapsed shortly after being brought to the police station and was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Prashanth stated, “Adil was brought to the police station on Friday. He collapsed in the police station and was rushed to the hospital, and the police then learned that he had died. Adil was not in the police station for more than six to seven minutes. However, his relatives are claiming that it is a case of lockup death.”
Prashanth added, “There is a CCTV camera in the police station, and the complaint by the father of the deceased will be investigated. The post-mortem will be conducted under the supervision of a judge, considering the seriousness of the case.”
Security has been heightened, and additional forces from neighbouring districts have been deployed to restore order. Eleven police officers were injured, and more than five police vehicles were damaged during the unrest.
Adil’s family and community members, enraged by his death, held protests at the police station, resulting in damage and injuries to police personnel. In response, the police have arrested at least 25 individuals involved in the protests. These arrests were made under sections 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 307 (Attempt to murder) of the IPC, based on CCTV footage and video evidence.
Reacting to the incident, former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy criticized the government’s handling of law and order, stating, “The government is functioning in such a manner that there is no atmosphere in the state where the government and officers are respected. The law and order in the state has collapsed.”
Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara addressed the situation on Sunday, announcing the suspension of a Deputy SP and an inspector for negligence. “An inquiry has been ordered. Based on what comes out of the inquiry, we will take action,” he said. Parameshwara said that the inquiry would also look into allegations that Adil was detained due to his refusal to pay bribe money to the police.
“How did he die, due to a heart attack or low BP (blood pressure), We will get to know about it from the postmortem report. An inquiry has been ordered”, he said.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has been assigned to probe the case to ensure a thorough investigation.
