Mysuru: The controversy surrounding T Narasipura Police Inspector Dhananjay has intensified after his alleged warning to Ganeshotsava organisers over taking a procession near a mosque triggered a political confrontation in Mysuru. The BJP has stepped up its demand for his suspension, while the Home Department has indicated that action will be considered after receiving a report from the district police chief.
The controversy erupted after a video of Inspector Dhananjay allegedly warning youngsters involved in organising Ganesh celebrations went viral. In the video, he is purportedly heard warning that action would be taken if a Ganesh procession was taken in front of a mosque and crackers were burst there.
The remarks have drawn strong criticism from BJP leaders and Hindu organisations, who have accused the police officer of using threatening and inappropriate language while dealing with organisers of a religious festival.
The BJP has demanded that Dhananjay be immediately suspended, arguing that a police officer should facilitate the peaceful conduct of a religious procession rather than allegedly threaten those organising it. The issue has since moved beyond T. Narasipura and become a major political flashpoint in Mysuru.
Amid the escalating controversy, allegations concerning some earlier incidents involving Dhananjay have resurfaced on social media. Photographs allegedly showing four Dalit youths being assaulted inside a police station have begun circulating again.
The incident reportedly dates back to September last year, when four Dalit youths were allegedly brought to the police station in connection with a family dispute. The photographs circulating on social media purportedly show the use of a cricket bat and stumps in the alleged assault.
However, the circumstances surrounding the photographs and the allegations require verification, and the resurfacing of the material has triggered fresh questions over the conduct of the inspector. The allegations have also generated debate over whether earlier complaints or incidents involving the officer were properly examined.
Another old allegation involving Dhananjay, dating back to 2014, has also resurfaced. At the time, when he was serving at Bengaluru’s Indiranagar police station, a Delhi-based model had allegedly accused him of rape and approached a Delhi court through a private complaint.
Based on the complaint, Delhi Police had reportedly come to Bengaluru looking for the police officer. Reports at the time alleged that Dhananjay had gone into hiding after the complaint was filed.
The woman had allegedly claimed that she came into contact with Dhananjay during his tenure at Indiranagar police station. She further alleged that he concealed his marital status while maintaining a relationship with her. These are allegations from the earlier case and do not by themselves establish criminal wrongdoing.
The old photographs and the 2014 allegation have now returned to public discussion following the latest Ganeshotsava controversy. Supporters of the BJP and Hindu organisations have cited the incidents while questioning the officer’s conduct, while the allegations have also prompted demands for a closer examination of his service record.
Another issue being discussed is Dhananjay’s tenure at the T. Narasipura police station. According to the information available, he has been serving there for around two years and eight months.
He was reportedly transferred to Mysuru South police station on May 10. However, the transfer order was cancelled within 24 hours, allowing him to continue at T. Narasipura. The development has added another dimension to the controversy, with questions being raised over why the officer continued at the same station despite completing more than two years there.
Meanwhile, the BJP has continued to insist that Dhananjay should be suspended over his alleged remarks on the Ganesh procession. Opposition leaders have accused the government of failing to take immediate action and have linked the issue to wider concerns over restrictions on religious processions.
Home Minister Priyank Kharge, responding to the demand for suspension, said the government would not take decisions merely because the BJP demanded them. He said the police department would first have to submit its report and that the government would examine it before deciding on further action.
The controversy has now widened from a dispute over the route and conduct of a Ganesh procession into a larger political battle involving the police, the BJP and the state government. BJP leaders have maintained that the inspector’s alleged warning amounts to intimidation of devotees and have demanded immediate disciplinary action.
With Ganeshotsava celebrations continuing across the state, the T. Narasipura episode has also revived concerns about how police authorities handle religious processions, particularly in areas where routes pass close to places of worship.
