'Illegal' party at Karnataka Bhavan: State deploys KSRP

A drinks party by a group of writers that disturbed inmates, including a Supreme Court judge, two months ago has now prompted the Karnataka government to deploy armed policemen to guard Bhavans it owns in the national capital.

Fifteen Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) personnel were deployed at Karnataka Bhavan-I at Chanakyapuri a few days back. Another batch of 17 men will be deployed at other two Bhavans, on Sardar Patel Marg and at Khel Gaon (near Siri Fort).

Since VVIPs stay in these Bhavans and as there is increased threat perception, the government decided to deploy armed police, said an official from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).

Two months ago, the Delhi Police raided Karnataka Bhavan on the complaint that some writers from Karnataka held an illegal party and created a nuisance.

Members of a delegation led by the Kannada Developmental Authority (KDA) were “partying illegally” at night at Karnataka Bhavan-I, where they were staying. Supreme Court judge Justice Dinesh Maheshwari, who was staying in the same building, got disturbed and called the police. Justice Maheshwari had earlier served as the Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court

Subsequently, it was known that some outsiders were also in the partying group. After questions were raised as to how unauthorised persons entered the premises, the government decided to tighten the security, a CMO official said.

Recently, Resident Commissioner Nilay Mitesh had written to the government to provide armed security to the Karntaka Bhavan, where VVIPS including the chief minister, governor, high court judges, ministers and MLAs stay during their visit to the national capital.

At present only Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir Bhavans have their own armed police to guard their establishments.

“We have made arrangements to station one platoon of KSRP in the national capital. A new platoon from the state will replace the incumbent every three months. Earlier, a private security agency was hired to guard the Bhavans,” Bhaskar Rao, additional director general of police (KSRP) told DH.