Bengaluru police commissioner Praveen Sood was shunted out of his post on Monday night. The 1986 batch officer has been posted as ADGP logistics and communication, a non-executive post, until further orders.
Although the government has dubbed the transfer as ‘routine’, the recent arrest of pro-Kannada activists, who blackened the Hindi signboards at metro stations during the anti-Hindi protests, is said to be the reason for this transfer.
Sood took to Twitter to bid adieu to Bangalore.
According to sources, Sood, who had only three months left for his promotion as DGP, was expected to serve as commissioner until then. However, a strong reaction to the arrest of pro-Kannada activists, under the section of causing communal disharmony, resulted in the premature transfer.
Around 36 pro-Kannada activists were booked under the section 153 A of IPC (Promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc, and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony’), sections 143 (members of unlawful assembly) and 427 (mischievous act ending in loss or damage of property), last week.
Following the arrest, the officer had issued a statement that even though he was sympathetic to the language cause, no unlawful activities will be permitted. However, he faced flak for his action.
Several prominent citizens opposed the police commissioner for his decision to file cases under communal violence against those protesting Hindi imposition.
Prakash Belawadi, a prominent theatre and film personality was quoted in The Times of India as saying: “Police have treated these Kannada activists like miscreants participating in communal violence."
A social media campaign with the hashtag #PraveenSoodHatao as well was run on social medias.
Talking to The Quint Praveen Sood refused to comment on the anti-Hindi protest controversy. “Orders are orders, I will be handing on charge tonight (Monday) itself.”
T Suneel Kumar, ADGP will replace Praveen Sood as the new city police commissioner.
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