After violence in Mangaluru, 56 police officers transferred

The reshuffle includes personnel from multiple police stations and special units such as the Crime Control Bureau and the Special Enforcement Cell

In the aftermath of the communal violence in coastal Karnataka, Mangaluru police commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy has ordered the transfer of 56 police personnel within the Mangaluru police commissionerate, officers aware of the matter said on Thursday.

Violence erupted after right-wing leader Suhas Shetty was murdered in May. (PTI)

The reshuffle includes personnel from multiple police stations and special units such as the Crime Control Bureau and the Special Enforcement Cell. According to the commissioner’s office, the exercise is a routine administrative measure designed to improve operational effectiveness, they added.

Among those transferred is Bajpe police station head constable Rashid, who has been at the centre of controversy following the murder of right-wing member Suhas Shetty. Rashid has now been posted to the Mangaluru women’s police station. BJP leaders had alleged that Rashid had “joined hands with Suhas’ killers,” fuelling public outrage and demands for accountability, a claim the officer had denied.

“The personnel reshuffle follows the state government’s broader push to reinforce law enforcement capacity in the coastal belt. This is a follow-up to the transfer of the senior IPS officers recently,” said senior home department official.

Amid criticism that the Congress government has failed to curb communal violence in the aftermath of Shetty’s murder, there were growing calls for the resignation or replacement of in-charge minister Dinesh Gundu Rao and home minister G Parameshwara.

In response to the charged atmosphere, Parameshwara visited Mangaluru on Monday and rolled out several countermeasures. One of the key initiatives was the formation of a Special Action Force aimed at curbing communal violence in coastal Karnataka. This task force, launched on June 13 in Mangaluru, is currently under the additional charge of police commissioner Reddy.

“The Special Action Force has now been implemented,” an official noted, adding that the latest round of transfers is part of a larger restructuring plan. “The staff who have been in the same place for many years have been transferred.”

Officials indicated that hundreds more transfers could follow in the coming weeks.