Sir,

This has reference to the news item titled ‘Former Dy.SP wants recognition for protecting the then CM Devaraj Urs from mob’ (SOM dated Aug.16).

The claims made by K.S. Sadananda, Retd. Dy.SP, is true and deserving. Even though I do not have any documentary evidence in this regard, I was an eye-witness for the incident which involved Sadananda along with KSRP Platoon trying to protect the then CM Devaraj Urs on Bengaluru-Mysuru Highway at Mandya (near the PWD Guest House, before PES Engineering College on the left side).

In those days, I was the Officer-in-Charge of State Armoury of Police Department at CAR Headquarters on Mysuru Road in Chamarajpet, Bengaluru. There was a request to the then DG and IGP to supply tear-gas shells to Mandya on priority and I was sent there with the required number of tear-gas shells.

When I reached Mandya, I was directed to approach the District Police officials near the PWD Traveller’s Bungalow. With great difficulty my team manoeuvred to reach the spot of the trouble. On the way, we were pushed from all sides by Mandya farmers in multiples of thousands. The day and the incident are etched in my memory. We handed over the armoury items to my batch-mate R. Vasudeva, in-charge Officer of District Armed Reserve, Mandya.

Our vehicle was fitted with a wireless set over which I heard the short transactions of the action. I remember to have heard the names of K.U. Balakrishna Rao, DIG Southern Range, K.S. Sadananda, Police Inspector and R. Vasudeva (who passed away some years back).

Later, the then CM D. Devaraj Urs left for Mysuru in a Police vehicle along with Police security. We returned to Bengaluru.

– K. Janardhana, Retired SP and former Marshal, Karnataka Legislature, Vidhana Soudha , Mysuru, 18.8.2019

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