BENGALURU: The suspension of Bengaluru city police commissioner B Dayananda and four other senior officers has triggered a backlash within the police force. From constables to inspectors, many are furious and feel betrayed by the very govt they serve.A police inspector said the suspensions in this context is unprecedented in Indian policing, adding that the state govt was directly involved in organising the celebrations.“The chief minister’s office instructed him (Dayananda) to proceed with full arrangements regardless of the risks. If accountability must be fixed, it should start with those in the govt,” he said.
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Head constable Narasimharaju from Madiwala police station staged a protest in front of Raj Bhavan against Dayananda’s suspension. He was detained, taken to Vidhana Soudha police station, and released after providing an apology.An assistant sub-inspector from the central division, termed the suspensions politically motivated. “There is video proof of deputy CM DK Shivakumar waving the RCB flag and welcoming the team. They wanted to take credit, and now they’ve made scapegoats of hardworking officers. It’s demoralising.”“The police commissioner was against holding a function at Vidhana Soudha. He had pushed for hosting it only at the stadium, but the CM’s office insisted on going ahead. We’re being punished for following orders,” said a senior inspector. He added: “We work round the clock, sacrificing family time. And this is what we get!” The chief secretary and other IAS officers are also being castigated by the police force for throwing caution to the wind.Police personnel argue that Dayananda worked tirelessly to make the city safer. They say he should not have been punished for a disaster that, they claim, speaks more about the political establishment’s greed to bask in the glory of the IPL champions than any real policing lapse.A head constable from south-east division said they were on crowd control from June 3, the night of the IPL final. “We barely had any rest. Yet, by afternoon on June 4, we were told to again report for duty near the stadium [Chinnaswamy]. And now, they’re targeting the commissioner who stood by us!”
