DK SP vows to remove people’s fear about police and build confidence

coastaldigest.com news network
January 2, 2019

Mangaluru, Jan 2: B M Lakshmi Prasad, who took charge as the new Superintendent of Police of Dakshina Kannada district yesterday, has stressed on people-friendly policing and having mutual respect between the police and the public.

Talking to reporters, Mr. Prasad said it was necessary for the police to have a patient hearing of people’s problems. “There is a kind of fear about police in the minds of the public. “The fear will be removed by building trust and confidence on the police system.”

Mr. Prasad said he will strive to strengthen the new beat system put in place by his predecessor Ravikanthe Gowda B.R. in which a police constable discharges the role of an inspector of his area.

“I am keen on fortifying the (new beat) system,” he said and added that he will follow ‘people-friendly policing’ guidelines laid down by the Director-General and Inspector-General of Police.

Terming the district as more sensitive than others, Mr. Prasad said he believed in maintaining a good communication channel with people.

“But if the situation goes off hand, then I know how to handle it,” he said and added that this was his first independent charge of a district. The police will act as per law and will not be favouring any community, he added.

While maintaining that there was no question of allowing illegal sand mining and transportation, Mr. Prasad said he will study the issue and take necessary action, including creation of new check-posts.

Mr. Prasad, who earlier served as the Superintendent of Police of Anti Naxal Force, Karkala, said effective action by the State government had largely kept the activities of Maoists under control. The ANF and district police units are now tasked with continuing the vigil and maintaining the same control.

Mr. Prasad, a 2014-batch IPS officer, had his schooling in Kudremukh. He finished his B.E. (computer science) from R.V. Engineering College, Bengaluru.

Having worked for five years in an IT firm, Mr. Prasad cleared the UPSC in the second attempt to enter IPS. “It’s the drive to serve people and have a better understanding of the society that made me choose IPS,” Mr. Prasad said and added nearly 70% of IPS officers in 2014 were engineering graduates.

Mr. Prasad first served as Assistant Superintendent of Police, Bagalkot. He then served as SP, ANF before this posting as SP, Internal Security (Centre for Counter Terrorism), Bengaluru.

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News Network
October 1,2024

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Mysuru: The Mysuru land authority at the centre of a financial and political storm - involving Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and alleged losses of ₹ 45 crore to the state - has received an offer of restitution from his wife, the urban development body's Commissioner, AN Raghunandan said.

"I am in possession of a letter written by Siddaramaiah's wife regarding her intention to return 14 plots (of land). The Chief Minister's son, Yatindra Siddaramaiah, came to our office and delivered the letter. We will take legal advice for the next step..." he told reporters in Mysuru.

Mr Raghunandan also confirmed anti-corruption officials from the city's Lokayukta branch had written seeking cooperation in its inquiry into the charges against the Chief Minister.

He said the Mysuru Urban Development Authority, or MUDA, "will cooperate with the investigation".

The Enforcement Directorate, however, have not reached out as yet, Mr Raghunandan said. The ED, a federal agency, has filed a money laundering case against Siddaramaiah.

There have also been calls for the CBI, another federal agency, to investigate charges against the Chief Minister, but that appears unlikely now given the Karnataka government has withdrawn general consent for its operations in the state. Law Minister HK Patil made the announcement last week.

He ruled out any link with demands for the Chief Minister to be investigated by the CBI, which reports to the BJP-led central government and the ruling Congress and other opposition parties have claimed is being used by that party to target rival leaders, particularly before elections.

On Monday - three days after the Lokayukta filed a case against the Chief Minister, and hours after the ED launched its probe- Siddaramaiah's wife said she had planned to give up the land earlier but was advised against it the allegations against her husband are "politically motivated".

But now, she said, she had made up her mind as "no house, plot, or wealth is more important than my husband's honor, dignity, and peace of mind". She also said the decision was hers alone; "... I am not aware of my husband's opinion on this matter, nor do I concern myself with what my son thinks".

And, in a comment seen as a calculated swipe at the opposition BJP, which is leading calls for the Chief Minister's resignation, his wife also made an emotional appeal to "all political parties and the media" to "please not drag women of political families into the controversy to settle political scores".

Investigative action against the Chief Minister follows the Karnataka High Court quashing a challenge to Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot's order sanctioning Siddaramaiah's prosecution.

Subsequently a trial court ordered framing of charges and directed the Lokayukta to complete the investigation within three months. The ED case was filed based on the Lokayukta FIR.

Siddaramaiah faces an inquiry into claims Parvathi was allotted 14 plots of land in an upmarket Mysuru area as compensation for land elsewhere - holding a far lower value - taken for infrastructure projects.

The Chief Minister has denied all charges and refused calls to resign.

He has been backed by the Congress and his deputy, DK Shivakumar, who is also the state unit boss, and also by members of his cabinet, including IT Minister Priyank Kharge. However, some within the Congress also want him to quit, such as former Assembly Speaker KB Koliwad.

"I will fight. I am not afraid of anything. We are ready to face the investigation. I will fight this legally," he said last week after the High Court had quashed his challenge to the Governor's sanction.

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