Tumakuru Dy SP arrested for sexually harassing woman at police station

The arrest came a day after a viral video purportedly showed a police officer in uniform, believed to be Dy SP A Ramachandrappa, in a compromising position with a woman at a police station.

Bengaluru: Deputy Superintendent of Police A Ramachandrappa posted in Madhugiri, Tumakuru, was arrested on Friday for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman who had visited a police station seeking redress for a grievance, officials said.

The arrest came a day after a viral video, released on Thursday, purportedly showed a police officer in uniform, believed to be Ramachandrappa, in a compromising position with a woman at a police station.

On Friday, Karnataka police chief Alok Mohan suspended Ramachandrappa and ordered a department inquiry against him after the video was widely shared.

By evening, Madhugiri police booked the Deputy Superintendent under a BNS Section related to sexual assault on a woman by a person in authority or a public servant.

Shortly after, Ramachandrappa's subordinates initiated the arrest procedures and placed him in the police station lock-up, a well-placed police source said.

The source explained that the police had located the woman in the video, and after preliminary questioning, she was encouraged to file a complaint against the Deputy Superintendent. The woman is also from Madhugiri.

Speaking to DH, Tumakuru Superintendent of Police Ashok K V confirmed the arrest and stated that the Deputy Superintendent would be produced before the magistrate by Saturday morning.

According to the police source, the woman had visited the police station with a grievance related to a land dispute.

While police are verifying the authenticity of the video, the source pointed out that the Deputy Superintendent's face is not visible in the 35-second footage.

"The person who made the video is not known. It's also unclear who had shared it. We need to identify the source of the video," the source explained.

Police investigations will also focus on the circumstances and timing of the video. Any further action will be taken only after the video's authenticity is verified, the source added.

Meanwhile, a team of investigators led by the Tumakuru SP is also running a background check on Ramachandrappa to determine whether he was involved in any prior incidents of misconduct.

Deputy Superintendent Ramachandrappa is due to retire on superannuation in March 2026. However, his future in the police force will likely be affected by this incident.