The sensational murder of 27-year-old youth leader Gavisiddappa Nayak in Koppal has taken a controversial turn, with fresh allegations now surfacing against the police themselves. A POCSO case has been registered against the murderer Gavisiddappa, his father Ningajja Nayak, mother Devamma, and sister Annapurna, a move that has sparked outrage among the Valmiki community and the opposition BJP, who accuse the police of attempting to divert attention and shield the real culprits.
The case stems from the shocking incident of August 3, when Gavisiddappa was brutally hacked to death with a machete in front of a mosque in Ward No. 3. Sadiq, the prime accused, surrendered before police soon after the murder. Later, four others were arrested. Initially, reports pointed towards a love affair with a Muslim girl as the motive. Still, the narrative shifted multiple times, with the Superintendent of Police (SP) claiming later that Gavisiddappa had been “torturing his ex-girlfriend.”
Police action raises doubts
The sudden registration of a POCSO case against the murdered youth has triggered serious suspicion. The complaint was filed by the mother of the girl, who is said to be central to the dispute. She had previously staged a dharna in front of the Koppal Deputy Commissioner’s office, claiming her daughter had “no role in the murder.” Strangely, within days, the same woman lodged a fresh complaint, and police promptly booked the deceased and his family under the POCSO Act.
BJP leaders and members of the Valmiki community allege that this move was politically motivated and designed to tarnish the image of the victim after his death. “This is nothing short of character assassination of a murdered youth. The police are acting as though they are protecting the killers instead of delivering justice,” charged a Valmiki community leader in Koppal.
BJP demands NIA probe
The Bharatiya Janata Party has intensified its attack on the Congress government, demanding that the investigation be handed over to the NIA or CBI, citing repeated inconsistencies in police statements. BJP State President B.Y. Vijayendra said, “Every day the SP comes up with a new version. This is not an impartial investigation. The state government is attempting to dilute the case.”
Vijayendra, who raised the issue at the beginning of the Assembly session, accused the government of ignoring the targeted killings of Hindus. “We have seen similar murders in coastal Karnataka. Now the same pattern has reached Koppal. The government should not take this case lightly,” he warned.
Former minister B. Sriramulu, who visited the bereaved family, also expressed anger at the police. “Instead of bringing justice to a murdered Valmiki youth, the police are filing cases against his family. This is an insult to the entire community,” he said.
Accusations of bias and conspiracy
Many local organisations and community groups allege that the police are under political pressure to weaken the case. The repeated changes in narrative from love affair to harassment allegations to the sudden POCSO charge have been widely criticised. Questions are being raised on why the girl’s mother, who earlier defended her daughter and distanced her from the murder, suddenly turned hostile and implicated Gavisiddappa and his family.
Leaders also questioned why the police were quick to act on this new complaint while failing to address the larger conspiracy behind the murder. “Is this an attempt to give a clean chit to the killers by framing the victim posthumously?” asked activists in Koppal, who announced plans to stage statewide protests.
The murder has already created a wave of unrest in the Koppal district. The Valmiki community has held multiple meetings, demanding justice and warning of strong agitations if the investigation is not handed over to central agencies. Tensions have further escalated after the POCSO case, with community leaders accusing the police of “insulting the dead and threatening the living.”
