E-Paper
‘Humiliated in public’: Karnataka senior cop seeks VRS, alleges CM Siddaramaiah tried to slap him
Karnataka ASP Narayan Venkappa Baramani requests voluntary retirement, citing emotional distress.
In a dramatic development, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Narayan Venkappa Baramani from Karnataka has submitted a formal request for voluntary retirement (VRS), citing severe emotional distress after an alleged public humiliation by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah during a Congress rally earlier this year.
Also Read - Bengaluru: 28-year-old Infosys staffer held for recording videos of woman colleague
According to a report in The Hindu, Baramani claimed that the Chief Minister tried to slap him during the event held on April 28 in Belagavi, blaming him for lapses in crowd control after a group of women waved black flags and raised slogans against the Congress leadership.
Attack on the dignity of government employees: Baramani
According to Baramani, he was deployed at the venue as part of the security detail when the unexpected protest unfolded. He alleged that the CM lost his temper and moved aggressively towards him. “The Chief Minister got angry and tried to slap me. I stepped back instinctively, but the damage was already done. I had done nothing wrong, yet I was shamed in front of a public gathering,” he wrote in an open letter.
The senior officer, who began his career in the police force as a sub-inspector in 1994, said the incident shattered his self-respect and lowered his morale. What hurt him even more, he added, was the silence that followed. “Neither the Chief Minister nor any senior officer contacted me to offer support or reassurance. I was left to deal with the humiliation alone as the incident played out on television for two straight days,” he said.
Also Read - Mentally challenged woman sexually assaulted in Bengaluru, family alleges police delayed FIR
Baramani, who still has several years of service left, said the incident not only impacted him personally but sent a demoralising message across the government machinery. “This was not just an attack on me. It was an attack on the dignity of all government employees, in and out of uniform. I have always served with discipline and dedication, but for months now, I have carried the burden of this insult. I am left with no option but to seek VRS,” he concluded.
The officer’s decision has triggered sharp political reactions. While there have been rumours suggesting Baramani may be eyeing a political career and could be a BJP ticket aspirant from either Belagavi North or Belagavi Rural Assembly segment, he has firmly denied any such intentions.
Meanwhile, the BJP has come out in open support of the officer. State party president B.Y. Vijayendra took to social media to express solidarity and urged Baramani to reconsider his decision. “We, along with the people of Karnataka, stand by you. Don’t let injustice push you out of public service,” he posted.
