Hindutva group puts up posters against BJP, cops suspended for assaulting them | Azad Times

The Dakshina Kannada district police has suspended a sub-inspector and a constable attached to Puttur Rural police station over an alleged case of police atrocity against people who displayed a manner demeaning MP Nalin Kumar Kateel and former Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda. An FIR was also lodged against the accused police personnel, including the Deputy Superintendent of Police of Puttur sub-division in connection with the case. Nalin Kumar Kateel is currently the BJP State President and has faced the ire of Hindutva supporters, particularly in Puttur in Dakshina Kannada.

Sub-inspector Srinath Reddy and police constable Harshith from the Puttur Rural police station were suspended following a complaint from Avinash, a resident of Narimogru, one of the nine accused persons in the banner case, who was secured and allegedly assaulted by the police.

The police in Puttur had detained two persons on May 15 and seven on May 16 in connection with a banner that appeared to mock Nalin Kumar Kateel and Sadananda Gowda. The banner blamed the duo for the BJP's loss in the Karnataka elections and also said that it should be the end of their political careers. Hindutva supporters had put up the banner and hung a garland of chappals around it in front of the KSRTC bus stand in Puttur. Police officials allegedly assaulted the people involved in putting up the banner.

Local sources told TNM that the accused in the case were supporters of Arun Kumar Putthila, a Hindutva leader who stood as an independent candidate in the Karnatataka Assembly elections from Puttur constituency. He narrowly finished second losing out to Congress leader Ashok Rai in the elections. The BJP candidate Asha Thimmappa finished a distant third in the elections polling only 21% of the votes.

Nalin Kumar Kateel has been grappling with backlash from Hindutva supporters in Puttur. In July last year, following the death of BJP Yuva Morcha worker Praveen Nettaru, Nalin Kumar Kateel's car was blocked by angry protesters for about half an hour before he could move with police security. Arun Kumar Putthila is said to be an aspirant for the Dakshina Kannada constituency in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.