Director of Dept. of Kannada and culture booked under SC/ST Act

The SJ Park police on Monday registered an FIR against the Director of the Department of Kannada and Culture for allegedly abusing a Dalit artist at her office, when the latter approached her to claim the remuneration due to him.

Based on the complaint filed by 55-year-old Jogila Siddaraju, the police registered the case against K.M. Gayathri, charging her under various sections of the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and for voluntarily causing hurt and intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace under the BNS.

According to the complaint, on July 11, Siddaraju visited the director’s office for pending remuneration to artists for three years. However, he was allegedly abused after the director found out that he was a Dalit.

When Siddaraju warned Gayathri that he would complain to the higher-ups, she allegedly threw a computer mouse pad at him and snatched the mobile phone of his associate who attempted to record the incident, Siddaraju said in his complaint.

Taking serious objection to her behaviour, Siddaraju also said that a plea was submitted to the Chief Minister seeking action.