3 cops suspended after puja offered in front of mosque in Koppal

A video of the incident had gone viral on social media in Koppal, which prompted the Gangavathi police to register a suo motu case and arrest five persons.

Three policemen have been suspended at Gangavathi city police station in Koppal district for dereliction of duty, after processionists offered worship to Lord Ganesh’s statue in front of a mosque, police said on Friday.

The order issued by the Koppal district superintendent of police stated that the police officers were suspended for dereliction of duty during immersion of Lord Ganesh’s idol on October 3. (HT Archives)

According to police officials, district superintendent of police Yashodha Vantagodi ordered the suspension of inspector Adivesha Gadikoppa, sub-inspector Kamanna and head constable Mariyappa Hosamani attached to Gangavathy city police station.

The order stated, “The police officers were suspended for dereliction of duty during immersion of Lord Ganesh’s idol on October 3.”

The procession, carrying a Ganesha idol, was passing in front of the Bade Masjid near the Gandhi Circle in Gangavathi, where the procession stopped and a person standing close to the idol performed ‘aarti’.

A video of the incident had gone viral on social media in Koppal, which prompted the Gangavathi police to register a suo motu case and arrest five persons allegedly involved in the case.

“The officers mentioned above failed to take precautionary measures in this regard and the incident had resulted in a tense situation,” a police statement said.

The accused were booked under Sections 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage the reli­gious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or reli­gious beliefs) and 505 (statements conducing public mischief) of the India Penal Code (IPC), the police statement said.