The Hindu : Four killed in police firing near Bijapur

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 05, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

Four killed in police firing near Bijapur

By Our Staff Correspondent

BIJAPUR JULY 4. Four persons were killed and several others injured this afternoon when police opened fire to disperse a stone-throwing mob which laid siege to Zalki Police Station in Indi taluk after the sub-inspector was found dead under suspicious circumstances.

A number of policemen were injured in the violence. Earlier, police lathicharged and burst teargas shells at the mob. Tension rose even as ban orders were clamped in Zalki, about 50 km. from here, and surrounding areas.

While police said three injured persons were taken to district hospital here, the villagers reportedly took two injured to a private hospital.

The names of the dead were given as Raghavendra Gurappa Navi from Anjutagi in Indi taluk, Shivaji Dondiba Kauli, Hassan Ladlesab Mulla and Kallappa Ramappa Biradar, all of Zalki. Many police vehicles were damaged in the incident.

Trouble began in the morning after the body of the sub-inspector, G.B.Kavatekar, was found "hanging" from a tree in the station compound. What caused suspicion was the fact that his legs were firmly on ground. News spread in Zalki and surrounding villages, and people started gathering in front of the police station.

The crowd did not allow the body to be removed and insisted that senior revenue and police officials, including the Superintendent of Police, K.S.R.Charan Reddy, visit the spot.

Amidst allegations that it was a murder by police inspector of Chadchana Circle (under which Zalki station falls), N.M. Itera, the onlookers charged him with harassing Kavatekar for a bigger share in "mamul" collection.

Mr. Reddy reached the spot with additional forces. When Mr. Itera visited the spot, the mob insisted that he should be handed over to them. However, Mr. Itera was whisked away into the station. As time passed, the mob swelled.

Family members of the victim, Kavatekar, including his wife, Shantabayi, who arrived on the spot, alleged that it was the handiwork of Mr. Itera. It was enough to fuel the already charged situation.

The villagers again insisted that Mr. Itera should come out of the station and loosen the noose around the neck of the deceased. By then additional forces, including the District Armed Reserve, were brought in.

To remove the body and send it to post-mortem, the police brought a van near it and started pushing the crowd back. The crowd formed a human chain around the body.

When some persons in the mob tried to surge ahead, police resorted to lathicharge. Many fell in the ensuing stampede. The angry mob threw stones at the police who retaliated by bursting teargas shells.

Many policemen were injured when villagers continued stone throwing. At this point, police opened fire. People ran helter-skelter for safety. Three persons died on the spot and one died in hospital.

Soon after the police firing, surrounding areas and nearby roads were deserted. Shops and business establishments were closed. Traffic on the adjacent national highway was disrupted for some time.

The Assistant Commissioner of Indi Sub-Division, Prakash Mallapur, and the Indi Tahasildar, S.S.Dale, reached the spot minutes before police opened firing. The Deputy Commissioner, Dhananjay, visited the spot.

A few journalists from Bijapur, who were incidentally there at the time of incident, were caught in the melee, and one of them suffered a minor injury in stone throwing.

The situation was said to be under control.

Meanwhile, the Government has announced an ex gratia payment of Rs. one lakh to each of the families of those who died in the police firing.

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