Nimhans shootout: Four cops suspended for dereliction of duty

Bengaluru: Four policemen attached to the City Armed Reserves were suspended on Tuesday for dereliction of duty in connection with the Nimhans shootout incident. The suspended have been were identified as head constable Nanjundappa, and three constables - Sharanappa Vodegere, C. Manjuntha and Mohana Aradhya.

Confirming the suspensions, Joint Commissioner, City Armed Reserves (CAR) D. Roopa submitted a report on the shootout incident to the city police commissioner N.S. Megarikh on Tuesday. The report is about the prima-facie observations into the incident highlighting the laxity of the constables on duty.

“We have suspended the four constables, including head guard Nanjundappa, who had taken an off on Sunday without deputing an in-charge officer in his place,  Sharanappa Vodagere, the constable on duty from whose rifle was snatched, and two others C. Manjunatha and Mohana Aradhya who were not present at the spot during the incident,” Roopa told Deccan Chronicle.

The policemen were suspended over multiple counts of dereliction of their duty. While the head guard or the head constable can be held responsible for negligently ignoring the armory cupboard with just a lock, which can be broken into, the others were penalised for not being present physically at the spot, while one of them claimed in his statement that his rifle was snatched away, Roopa added.

DCP CAR (South) Kanthrajappa is conducting a departmental inquiry into the incident and the investigations will reveal whether the rifle was snatched away from the constable or he had kept it carelessly, disregarded the security risk, she added.

Some armed policemen are negligent while safeguarding their firearm. Border Security Force (BSF) and Special Task Force (STF) personnel are trained to an extent that they feel their weapons are extended parts of their bodies and uniforms, said a senior police officer, who did not wish to be named.

“We are aware of the laxity among policemen who tend to disregard their fire-arms, socialise and sympathise with prisoner patients, as their jobs at the jail ward becomes routine and monotonous. Such an attitude can be curbed only by constant supervision by their immediate seniors,” he added. Additional Commissioner (West) Pratap Reddy told this newspaper, “We will be revisiting all the lapses that led to this incident and will plug all issues with complacencies and non-adherence to rules by the policemen on duty.”

Postmortem: Vishwanath was hit by four bullets

The post-mortem of Vishwanath, the 22-year-old undertrial prisoner who was shot dead by Garuda Force commandos at Nimhans hospital on Sunday, has revealed that he sustained four bullet injuries.

The post-mortem was conducted at Victoria Hospital mortuary on Tuesday morning by a team of doctors from the Forensic Science Department and it was headed by Dr Venkata Raghavan. The entire process was video recorded.

Sources said that the post mortem has revealed that four bullets struck Vishwanath. “Four entry and exits points were found on his body. Three in the chest and abdomen area while one in the head,” a source said.

After the post-mortem, the body was handed over to his mother Bhagyamma and other relatives, who took it to the Wilson Garden crematorium for last rites. Earlier, Bhagyamma told reporters that her son was not mentally ill, but was depressed after the arrest.

Vishwanath’s relative Nataraj blamed his friends for Vishwanath’s tragic end. “Bad company spoiled his life. His mother did everything possible to give her both sons a good life, but Vishwanth chose the wrong path,” he said. When reporters asked whether the family will approach human rights commission, he said, “He has left us. Now, what’s the point in filing a case?”

Meanwhile, the FSL experts, who visited the shootout spot on Monday, found that Garuda Force commandos had shot 10-12 bullets at Vishwanath, but only a few hit the target. They also concluded that Vishwanath had fired from all the five rifles at the guard room and shot three bullets through the window.