Attack on Rashmi: Chief Minister accused of shielding culprits

Former chairperson of the Karnataka State Women’s Commission, C Manjula, on Monday accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of shielding the culprits behind the attack on the Director General of Administrative Training Institute, Rashmi V Mahesh, who concurrently holds the charge of Regional Commissioner.

Speaking to the media after visiting Rashmi at the Regional Commissioner’s office in the city, Manjula, the incumbent co-spokesperson of the State BJP unit, said, “Even when the incident of such a magnitude has happened in his home district, the chief minister has remained mum.”

Manjula also condemned the inaction of the police by failing to arrest the permanent employees of ATI who are among the accused involved in the attack on the officer.
Criticising Home Minister K J George, Manjula said, “It is already six days since the incident, and the home minister is yet to visit the officer. This leads to suspicion that the government is protecting the culprits.”

Manjula said the people involved in the attack had even printed pamphlets, banners and flex boards on the day they assaulted Rashmi. The gunman of the officer, too, failed in his duty, she said. Manjula demanded a separate probe by an independent agency against the previous DG of ATI, Amita Prasad, who is accused of embezzling funds.