Bihar : 400 trainee cops run riot, try to lynch senior
PATNA: In a virtual revolt against senior officers on Friday, around 400 trainee constables, most of them women, went on the rampage in and outside the Police Lines here for more than four hours over the death of a colleague, Savita Pathak (22). Savita was suffering from dengue and was allegedly denied leave.
Not only did the trainees try to lynch DSP Mohammad Mashluddin for denying leave to Savita, they also manhandled Rural SP, City SPs of Patna central and east, and several DSPs when they reached there to pacify them.
Several police officers up to DSP rank were injured in the violence on the premises at Lodipur under the Buddha Colony police station. The trainees were so furious that even SSP Manu Maharaaj could not enter the premises for over 40 minutes around 12.
The trainees alleged that Savita had been suffering from high fever for the last three days but despite that the DSP did not grant her leave. On top of it, he forced her to perform traffic duty near Kargil Chowk.
Savita was taken to a private hospital on Wednesday morning but she died there within a few hours. Chief minister Nitish Kumar has sought a report from DGP KS Dwivedi on the unprecedented incident within three days.
The DGP, who was in Delhi, told a TV channel that the young recruits were yet to be trained and they might have been provoked by someone to protest over their colleague’s death in an indisciplined and violent manner. The DGP has asked DIG (central range) Rajesh Kumar to probe the violence.
As soon as the violence began, the situation turned serious. The bodyguards of senior police officers fired at least four rounds in the air to keep the trainees at bay. All this while, the trainees kept on smashing police vehicles parked on the premises. They also ransacked the office and residence of the sergeant major. Later, they came out of the complex and indulged in acts of vandalism, damaging vehicles and shops in the area.
When they damaged a CCTV camera installed at a nearby temple and tried to take away its hard drive to destroy the evidence, the locals started throwing stones and bricks at them. The trainees then retreated to the Police Lines and hurled stones and bricks at the locals in retaliation. At least 10 people were injured in the attack. Some media persons were also hurt.
courtesy : timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
