Kannada & culture director booked for 'abusing' Dalit artist

Bengaluru: The police in Bengaluru on Monday registered an FIR against the director of the Department of Kannada and Culture for allegedly abusing a Dalit artist. 

Based on the complaint from Jogila Siddaraju, 55, the SJ Park police filed the case against KM Gayathri, the government officer concerned. She has been booked under relevant sections of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). 

Siddaraju told the police that the official abused him after discovering that he was a Dalit.

According to Siddaraju, he had visited her office on July 11 to enquire about remuneration for artists that had been pending for three years. 

When Siddaraju told Gayathri that he would complain to the higher-ups, she allegedly threw a computer mouse pad at him and snatched the mobile phone of his artist associate who attempted to film the incident, the FIR noted. 

Siddaraju added that he had also submitted a petition to the chief minister seeking action. 

"We are verifying the claims. Further probe is on," a police officer said.