BJP Demands Arrest of K J George, Stages Protest
Mangaluru: The members of the district BJP staged a protest demanding the immediate arrest of former home minister K J George in DySP Ganapathi suicide case, in front of the DC office here, on July 9.
Addressing the protesters, District BJP vice president Ravi Shanker Mijar said that there have been a number of suicide cases due to harassment. “The first victim of harassment was DK Ravi, he committed suicide. Later, DySP Kallappa committed suicide and now DySP Ganapathi, who was an honest police officer, ended his life due to harassment from the former home minister K J George and two senior police officers. DySP Anupama Shenoy was also harassed by a minister because of which she was forced to resign.” Mijar demanded the immediate arrest of K J George and the case to be handed over to the CBI.
Former MLA Yogish Bhat said that it was a sad day in the history of Karnataka state that an honest officer ended his life in such a way, that too in uniform. “Already more than 800 farmers have committed suicide in our state after the Congress came to power. Now, police officers, who protect us, are surrendering to suicide.”
Yogish Bhat further said that suicide is not the solution to any problem. “The harassment was too much for an honest officer, who had successfully handled the very sensitive area of Ullal when there was communal violence. Ganapathi took all the people of Ullal into confidence and brought peace in the area. Before committing suicide, he went to a TV Channel and revealed the truth, the harassment from politicians and his senior officers. During the interview, DySP Ganapathi was not in depression. He revealed the truth because he did not want any other police officer to face the same situation he faced. As the interview concluded, he also said, “Only God can forgive them”, because he was aware that he would be ending his life and that the government would not take any action against K J George.
Bhat also said that as soon as Ganapathi’s suicide news spread, there was pressure on Ganapathi’s brother and father to give a statement that he was in depression. “If Ganapathi was in depression, how could the police department give him a pistol?” he questioned. “Ganapathi did not commit suicide; it is a sacrifice of an honest police officer. Earlier, the news channel also said that there were two death notes found – one was for the family and the other one for the department. In the death note, he had mentioned about the harassment by senior officers and the politician but now, the department denies of finding any death note in the room. The police do not have any right to protest nor do they have the right to demand basic facilities. Even last month when the police decided to go on leave to stage a protest statewide, they did not get the permission to do so.”
While concluding, Yogish Bhat demanded the arrest of K J George and the case to be handed over to the CBI as a CID investigation could not be trusted.
Speaking on the occasion, Kota Srinivas Poojary said that DySP Ganapathi was an honest police officer, he took his profession as a challenge and worked with transparency. “His suicide is a sign of the failure of the state government and also shows that the police too are not safe. If police officers commit suicide, what will be the fate of the common man?” he questioned. “DySP Anupama Shenoy was harassed by minister Parameshwar Naik and she resigned from her post. Later, DC of Mysuru Shikha was threatened by the former Zilla Panchayat president K Mari Gowda which shows how the Congress leaders behave with women. Kota Srinivas Poojary demanded a CBI inquiry into Ganapathi’s suicide and said, “We do not believe in a CID investigation.” He also said that the people who are behind his suicide should be arrested immediately.
Later, a memorandum was submitted to the Chief Minister through the Deputy Commissioner.