They protest ‘police atrocity’ against a brick worker, arrested for alleged links to sand mining.
The members of Congress, JD(S) and Brick Kiln Owners’ Association staged a protest here on Tuesday demanding suspension of Deputy Superintendent of Police Srihari Baragur on the charge of assaulting a brick kiln worker.
Vehicular movement was affected for over two and half hours at Mecce Circle as the protesters blocked roads and burnt an effigy of the police officer.
The protesters, who raised slogans against the district administration and the police, alleged that the latter were targetting innocent people in the guise of checking illegal sand mining in the district. They charged district in-charge minister R Varthur Prakash with ‘anti-people politics’ and instigating sand extraction.
“The police have clearly violated human rights by brutally assaulting brick kiln workers on the charge of transporting sand illegally. They have laid their hands on people transporting mud for brick-making, instead of arresting those involved in illegal sand extraction,” the protesters said.
Former minister K Srinivasagowda, Member of Legislative Council Naseer Ahmed, former Speaker V R Sudarshan, District Congress Committee president M L Anil Kumar and others addressed the protesters.
They said the DySP harasses the workers of minority community and brazenly takes part in programmes organised by caste-based organisations. The leaders said the practice of posting inexperienced officers to the district should be put an end to and Srihari should be immediately transferred.
Deputy Commissioner Dr D S Vishwanth came to spot along with Superintendent of Police Dr Ramnivas Sapet and received a memorandum from the protesters.
He exited the spot in a minute with a promise to initiate action after verifying the facts.
Traffic disrupted
Vehicles were stranded on all the four roads converging at Mecce Circle as protesters blocked roads with lorries, tractors, bikes and earthmovers. Hundreds of brick kiln workers took part in the protest.
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