A police inspector at Vidyagiri police station in Karnataka’s Dharwad district was suspended on Thursday in relation to the alleged police harassment-linked death of a college student earlier this week. The development came a day after three constables from the same station were suspended.
Police Inspector Rafiq Tahsildar was suspended following allegations that police personnel harassed the student, Aditya Myageri, in connection with a ganja-related case, demanded Rs 2,000, and threatened to implicate him in a false case. Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner N Shashikumar issued the suspension order, confirming that an inquiry is underway and further action will be based on its findings.
Head Constable Chandru Nadavinamani and Constables Kiran Dokkannavar and Syed Tahsildar, attached to the same station, were suspended on Wednesday amid allegations of harassment and extortion that surfaced following Myageri’s death.
The case has triggered outrage, with the student’s family alleging that sustained police pressure drove him to allegedly die by suicide. Multiple inquiries are currently underway to determine accountability.
BSc student found dead
Myageri, a BSc student, was found dead at his rented accommodation in Girinagar on Monday night. The police registered a case of unnatural death, suspecting suicide.
According to the police, Myageri was among 18 students picked up during an anti-drug drive on April 25. Officials said that 10 of them, including Aditya, tested negative for ganja and were released, while those who tested positive faced legal action.
‘He feared being falsely booked’
Myageri’s family disputed the police account, alleging that he continued to face harassment.
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Speaking to The Indian Express, Myageri’s uncle said that he learnt about his death late on Monday night. When they reached his rented accommodation in Girinagar, his mother collapsed unconscious, while his sister was in a state of shock.
A native of Belur village, Myageri had moved to Dharwad with his family for his education due to their weak financial condition. His mother supported the household, including her children’s education, by cooking at a hostel, while he helped her with household chores.
According to the family, Myageri had earlier told them that the police took him to the station during an anti-drug drive. Around 18 students were subjected to drug testing at the Dharwad Government Hospital, and Myageri’s results came back negative.
However, his family alleged that despite testing negative, he and others were detained for nearly two days. “He told his mother that police were asking for Rs 2,000 and threatening to file a case if he did not pay,” his uncle said.
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On the day of the incident, Myageri reportedly argued with his mother, insisting that money be arranged so he could pay the police. He then locked himself inside a room. Despite attempts by his mother and sister to console him, he allegedly remained distressed. Shortly after, his sister found him dead.
Myageri’s uncle said he was initially unaware of these developments. “While his mother and sister were grieving, no one told me. Later, his friends came to me, broke down, and said Myageri and a few others were harassed and threatened despite testing negative,” he said.
Friends who gathered at the hospital the next morning also alleged that several students were kept at the police station even after negative test results.
Probe ordered: Home minister
Police chief Shashikumar said that a large-scale anti-drug operation had been carried out across Hubballi-Dharwad on April 25 and 26, during which the police gathered information on nearly 500 suspected drug peddlers and consumers from various stations. Based on subsequent testing, around 140 individuals tested positive, and about 50 cases were registered, he revealed.
Shashikumar also confirmed that multiple inquiries are underway.
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Addressing reporters on Wednesday, state Home Minister G Parameshwara confirmed that a probe has been ordered and assured that action will be taken based on the investigation’s findings.
