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Karnataka: RTI activist dies in escape from police, kin allege murder
An RTI activist died by jumping off a bridge in an attempt to escape police arrest, while his family alleged he was murdered in police custody
A Right To Information (RTI) worker identified as Harish Halli (40), a native of Kabbala village in Channagiri taluk of Davanagere district died by jumping from a bridge while trying to escape from the police custody in Golahunase village of Davangere taluk in the wee hours on Sunday, officials said.
Meanwhile, the family of the deceased allege he was murdered in police custody.
According to the officials, the police nabbed the accused in a forgery case in which he allegedly transferred three house sites in his name by forging documents.
The police team picked him up from his residence and while taking him to Gandhinagar police station, he tried to escape from the police jeep and was seriously injured, officials said.
The incident occurred at 2.30 am on Sunday morning near the Golohunase flyover in Davanagere taluk. Harish, who was seriously injured, was shifted to the Davanagere district hospital. However, he died as he was not responding to the treatment, officials familiar to the matter said.
According to the police, Harish had created fake documents and transferred a house site in to his name. Followed by the complaint of site owners, the Gandhinagar police picked him up. But his wife and family members rejected the police version and alleged that while taking him to the police station, Harish was assaulted by sub inspector Krishnappa, constable Devaraj and jeep driver Irshad which led to his death. The relatives and family members also staged a protest in front of the hospital demanding action against police officials.
“While bringing him to the police station, the accused asked us to stop the jeep to attend a nature call . When we stopped the jeep, he abruptly jumped from the flyover to escape custody,’’ Gandhi Nagar sub inspector Krishnappa told HT. He said the accused, an RTI worker, is wanted in multiple cases and was evading enquiry. “Based on definite information we raided his house and detained him.”
“A case under section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered at Davanagere rural police station against sub inspector Krishnappa, constable Devaraj and driver Irshad,” Davanagere district additional superintendent (ADG) SA Basargi told HT. He said the case was registered based on a complaint filed by his wife, who alleged that her husband was murdered by police officials. “We are investigating the case and action would be initiated if any police official is found guilty,” he added.
