The Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has strongly criticized the police’s alleged involvement in a student’s death, denouncing it as a tragic event fueled by greed and misuse of authority. State Home Minister G. Parameshwara, in response to the accusations, has pledged to investigate the matter thoroughly and ensure a comprehensive inquiry. State BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra expressed sorrow over the loss of a young student who, despite facing challenges, aimed to improve his life through education but tragically succumbed to alleged police harassment for money.
Vijayendra described the incident as deeply distressing and urged the state government to take swift and stringent action against the senior police officers implicated. He criticized the police department for allegedly causing the death of an innocent individual under the pretext of drug enforcement, highlighting a concerning deterioration in law and order in Karnataka. The BJP leader claimed that the law enforcement’s actions had reached a point where innocent citizens were being victimized and extorted.
According to Vijayendra, the deceased student, identified as Aditya Maggeri from Belur village in Bagalkot district, was wrongly entangled in a drug-related case and subjected to ongoing financial harassment despite being cleared of any wrongdoing by a medical examination. He alleged that police officials, aware of the student’s innocence, persistently demanded bribes through digital transactions, leading to significant mental anguish.
Vijayendra emphasized the need for the state government to acknowledge its moral responsibility in the tragedy and demanded accountability from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Home Minister G. Parameshwara, and Director General of Police M.A. Saleem. He called for preventive measures to safeguard innocent individuals from similar harassment in the future and insisted on immediate legal repercussions for those responsible, including high-ranking officers. The BJP leader also urged the government to provide a compensation of at least Rs 50 lakh to the bereaved family, cautioning that a failure to act compassionately would reflect poorly on the state administration.
State Home Minister G. Parameshwara responded to the BJP’s accusations by stating that while the state government holds responsibility for the entire state, it is unjust to attribute every incident to it. He assured that a thorough investigation into the circumstances leading to the student’s suicide would be conducted to determine accountability. The incident, which took place on April 26, involved the deceased student’s mother alleging that she was coerced by the police to deposit money into her son’s account to avoid false drug charges, leading to his tragic death.
