BELAGAVI: A college student was allegedly tortured and administered electric shocks by the police after the informed the authorities about illegal sand mining near his village on the banks of the Malaprabha river. The incident, which occurred on June 6, has come to light only now.
Siddappa Hirur, a resident of Teggihalli village, had called the then Savadatti tahsildar Prashant Patil, police and Mines and Geology Department officials to inform them about the illegal sand mining going on near his village. However, the then tahsildar lodged a complaint against Siddappa alleging that he used foul language while speaking on the phone.
Based on Patil’s complaint, the police arrested Siddappa and allegedly tortured him. They even gave him electric shocks and threatened him of life. The student had to spend three days in the Bailahongal sub-jail before he was released on bail. The police even took away his mobile phone.
Siddappa told Public TV that the police questioned him why he wanted to fight against corruption. Influential people are indulging in illegal sand mining, he said.
Siddappa and the Karnataka Rakshana Samiti staged a protest and has submitted a memorandum to the Belagavi deputy commissioner and SP demanding action against Prashant Patil, Savadatti CPI Manjunath Naduvinamani and other staff.