'Police irresponsibility led to murder'

Punish guilty says leader

“The police could have avoided the tragic end had they acted immediately after complaint,” he said.

Siddaramaiah, who visited the bereaved families in Hunsur on Sunday, blamed the police irresponsibility as the reason for killing of the teenagers.

The police could have rescued them had they acted swiftly after the parents wanted to lodge a complaint. Hunsur police did not admit the complaint till 9 pm passing the buck on Mysore city police. While, city police washed off their hands saying it does not fall under their limits.  A case was registered only after 9 pm after the directions from Superintendent of Police, he said. 

“The kidnappers were in Mandya limits till late evening calling the parents from local phone booths and using the mobile phones of the boys. The boys could have been rescued, had the police acted swiftly and cordoned off all borders in Mysore and Mandya districts. For four days till the boys were found killed, police did not make a serious effort to crack the case,” he told reporters.

He demanded the Government to trace those responsible for the murder at the earliest.
He opined that law and order had collapsed in the district and city as there was an increase in crime graph. The failure of police is palpable and the department has become inactive.  Police department was steeped in corruption and was rid with low morality and lack of values. The transfers of officers happens on transaction of kickbags. Many officers are here for about 20 years, he added.

Faith lost

The Home department spends about Rs 2000 crore annually on the police wing. However, police are becoming increasingly rude to public.

 The innocents face harassment. They have no fear of Government and are only amassing wealth.

 “The common man has lost faith in police. People fear going to police stations with complaint,” he said. He alleged that illegal sand mining was going on unabated in the district due to a collusion between the illegal sand lifters, the police, the revenue officials and the department of mining, though every department blames the other. Illegal mining is unstoppable from Nanjangud to Talakad. “The mining is also happening in my native at Kuppegala near Siddaramanahundi.

But, I am helpless. The police are paid Rs 1000 graft for allowing each truck load of sand in the region,” he said. “The state has failed to promulgate a strict sand policy to pluge the loopholes,” he stated.

Siddaramaiah slammed the transfer of Deputy Commissioner Harsh Gupta and said the Government bowed to pressure from land mafia as Gupta had begun a survey of encroached land.

The district minister has failed to conduct the KDP meeting in spite of being nine months in office, he said. From January 2011 till date, not a single beneficiary was selected for widow pension, OAP, handicapped pension.

The government has stopped monthly pension to existing beneficiaries too. While, not a single Bhagyalakshmi bond is given in the period 2010-11 and this year, he added.