Bengaluru | Constable held for protesting against top cop Dayananda's suspension, let off later

Bengaluru: A police constable from the Madiwala station was arrested and later released on station bail by the Vidhana Soudha police on Friday after staging a symbolic protest near Raj Bhavan against the suspension of IPS officer and former Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B Dayananda.

The constable, identified as Narasimharaju, had brought a letter addressed to the governor, urging the revocation of Dayananda’s suspension.

Dayananda was suspended by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday in connection with the stampede tragedy that occurred at Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday.

Narasimharaju, dressed in his police uniform, tied a black band to his right arm and held a garlanded photo of Dr B R Ambedkar.

The BJP government shared the picture of Narasimharaju on X and wrote: Mutiny in Karnataka Police Against Congress State Government.

“When the police themselves rebel against the Congress government holding Dr B R Ambedkar’s photo, it's not just a protest. It is a clear statement of no confidence,” the post read. “The very protectors of law are now standing against the Congress government. A massive letdown of the police force by the state. Congress uses the Constitution as a photo prop. They neither respect it nor understand it.”