A day after BJP leader Manikanth Rathod was taken in preventive detention by Kalaburagi District Police, Mr. Rathod held on Thursday Congress leader and Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Priyank Kharge responsible for the police action to foil a scheduled protest in Chittapur on Wednesday.
“On Wednesday morning, the Madbool Police reached my apartment to take me into custody to foil the protest scheduled against the Police Department’s negligence in Devanand Koraba’s murder case,” Mr. Rathod said.
Addressing a press conference in Kalaburagi, Mr. Rathod said that the police had failed in their duty to arrest the culprits involved in Devanand Koraba’s murder. Instead, the officials are acting on the directions of Mr. Kharge, he said.
Accusing the District Police of failing to maintain law and order situation in Kalaburagi, Mr. Rathod demanded that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah remove Mr. Kharge as district in-charge of Kalaburagi.
Producing a written complaint copy to the media, Mr. Rathod accused the Madbool Police of refusing to lodge a complaint against Mr. Kharge for accusing the District Police of being involved with rowdy elements.
“Mr. Kharge had, during a review meeting with the Police Department in Kalaburagi last month, said that police officials were hand-in-glove with rowdy elements,“ Mr. Rathod recalled.
