Chief minister rules out NIA probe into Bantwal incident

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday categorically stated the murder of RSS worker Sharat Madiwala in Bantwal of Dakshina Kannada district will not be handed over to National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the state police were competent enough to probe the incident.

Addressing reporters here, Siddaramaiah said, “There is no need to hand over the case to the NIA. Our police department is competent to conduct the investigation.”

BJP leaders have demanded an NIA probe into the case.

To a question on banning organisations involved in instigating communal violence, the chief minister said a decision will be taken after a report in this regard is submitted by a team comprising DG&IGP Rupak Kumar Dutta, ADGP (Law and Order) Alok Mohan and Advisor to Home minister, Kempaiah. The police have been directed to initiate action against organisations such as Bajrang Dal, SDPI, RSS and others if they were found stoking violence. “I have directed the police to deal with troublemakers with an iron hand and to register cases after identifying them.”

He ruled out involvement of people from Kerala in the violence, while replying to a query. Siddaramaiah said compensation to the family of Sharath Madiwala will be announced after the submission of investigation report.

Blaming the BJP for the entire incident, Siddaramaiah said that if the party leaders were ‘quiet,’ the violence would not have escalated. “Though prohibitory orders were clamped in Bantwal, they visited the place, took out a procession and celebrated Vijayotsava.”

Referring to his visit to Mangaluru, the chief minister said he didn’t visit Bantwal but Mangaluru city which is a different Assembly constituency.

Cops transferred
The government on Tuesday transferred three police officers to ensure better law and order in coastal Karnataka. Holenarasipura assistant superintendent of police Dr K Arun Kumar has been posted as assistant superintendent of police, Bantwal.

Additional superintendent of police, Dakshina Kannada district, Dr C B Vedamurthy, who was transferred a week ago, has been replaced by additional SP Udupi Vishnuvardhan.

Brijesh Mathew has been posted circle inspector of Bantwal. He is currently serving as SI of Anti-Corruption Bureau in Chikkamagaluru.