Systemic failures, crime, controversy rock Home Dept
BENGALURU: 2025 proved deeply turbulent for Karnatakas Home Department, which came under sustained scrutiny as cases involving police and prison officials, ranging from corruption and criminality to systemic lapses, dominated public discourse. One of the most shocking episodes was the stampede at M Chinnaswamy Stadium during Royal Challengers Bengalurus victory celebrations, which claimed 11 lives and left several injured. The tragedy drew nationwide attention to glaring failures in crowd management during large public events. The state government suspended five police personnel, including the then Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B Dayananda. This was the first time in the states history that a commissioner was suspended. Another case that shook the state was the alleged mass burial in Dharmasthala mid-year. A former sanitation worker claimed that he was forced to bury hundreds of bodies mostly of women and minors, who were allegedly raped and murdered. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed to probe this case. Partial human skeletal remains were found in two of the 17 sites excavated in Dharmasthala. However, the complainant was later arrested on charges of perjury. In January, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah declared Karnataka a Naxal-free state following the surrender of six Naxalites. With this, the Anti-Naxal Force was dismantled. The year also saw politically sensitive cases. Former Hassan Lok Sabha MP Prajwal Revanna, grandson of former prime minister HD Deve Gowda, was sentenced to imprisonment for the remainder of his natural life for raping a domestic worker. BJP MLA and former minister Byrathi Basavaraj was named accused No 5 in the rowdy-sheeter Biklu Shiva murder case in Bengaluru. Home Minister G Parameshwara drew criticism for his remarks over a molestation incident in Bengaluru. He, however, issued an apology, stating that his statements had been misunderstood. Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Shivamogga districts reported many communal incidents. A mob lynched ragpicker Ashraf in Mangaluru in April. Bajrang Dal activist Suhas Shetty was murdered on May 1. Sand transporter Abdul Rahiman was killed on May 27. All this prompted the government to set up a Special Action Force (SAF). The state witnessed several brutal murder cases during the year. In one chilling case, a man allegedly beheaded his 26-year-old wife in Bengaluru Rural district and took her severed head on a scooter to a police station. In another case, a youth from Hassan murdered his friend and uploaded a video of the crime on social media. Mysuru saw a daylight murder near the Dasara Exhibition Grounds, while Mumbai Police busted an illegal drug manufacturing unit operating without the knowledge of Mysuru police. Sensational and filmy-style robberies made headlines. Three masked men armed with country-made pistols robbed over Rs 1 crore in cash and 20 kg gold ornaments worth around Rs 20 crore from an SBI branch in Vijayapura. A bank manager and his two accomplices were arrested in connection with the theft of gold and cash worth Rs 53.3 crore from Canara Banks Managuli branch. In another case, a Rs 7.11-crore daylight heist from a CMS cash van stunned the state, especially after a police constable from Govindapura police station in Bengaluru was arrested for allegedly masterminding the crime. Police misconduct remained a recurring theme. A constable from Kolar and seven others were arrested for kidnapping and extorting Rs 8.80 lakh from a BPO employee in Bengaluru. Eleven police personnel, including an inspector, were suspended for allegedly shielding drug peddlers. A constable attached to the Bengaluru City Police Commissioners office was also suspended for allegedly stealing Rs 11 lakh from a seized vehicle linked to a cybercrime case. The Prison Department drew sharp criticism after videos of inmates, including a serial rapist and a suspected ISIS operative, using mobile phones surfaced in Bengaluru Central Prison. Similar incidents were reported from other prisons in the state. Several warders were arrested for allegedly supplying drugs and mobile phones, prompting the home minister to appoint an IPS officer as chief prison officer. On the reforms front, the state introduced navy-blue peaked caps for constabulary personnel, replacing traditional slouch hats after decades. To strengthen justice delivery, 33 Directorate of Civil Rights Enforcement (DCRE) police stations were set up, while a dedicated Cyber Command Centre was established to tackle the surge in cybercrime.
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