Panic at Jagadish Shettar’s house as DSS men sneak in

A group of Dalit Sangharsh Samithi (DSS) activists allegedly sneaked into ‘Cauvery’, the Chief Minister’s official residence, in the wee hours of Monday and created panic among the security staff.

The DSS, later claimed that its activists had gone there at 4 am to protest against the State government’s negligence over the Sadashiva Committee report on reservation for the SCs/STs. The security guards, who were sleeping, woke up to the noise while some activists managed to sneak into the CM’s residence through the main gate as they could not see who were there in the dark. The police were confused for a while and later resorted to caning to drive away them. A few activists were injured in the incident. The mobile phones of some activists who were capturing the scenes of policemen wielding lathis, were also seized. They were reportedly beaten up black and blue for their ‘unauthorised’ entry into the high security zone. The drama continued for almost 30 minutes.

On the receipt of information, senior police officers including Additional Police Commissioner Suneel Kumar rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. Later, the arrested were taken to Sadashivanagar police station and were released in the evening.

Narrating the incident to  Express, DSS State President Hennur Srinivas said, “We reached CM’s house around 4 am and we found that the police were sleeping. The idea of going there early in the morning was only to meet him before his other engagements start. Otherwise, he would not have had time to give us a patient hearing. The police got up only after we raised slogans”, he claimed.

Later in the evening, the activists met the CM and explained him that their intention was not to picket at his house, but only to bring to his notice the need for implementing the recommendations of the Sadashiva Commission report.

The CM promised to take up the matter in the next Cabinet meeting or in the winter session of the State Legislature. According to sources, the CM called the City Police Commissioner and questioned about the negligence of the police in the incident.

Suneel Kumar, Additional Commissioner of police, however, denied that the activists were caned. They were taken into custody before they sneaked into the CM’s residence, he claimed.