AKSSA President Taken into Custody in Dharwad After Protest

Kanthkumar, the president of Akhila Karnataka State Students’ Association, was taken into preventive custody by police in Dharwad on Saturday, May 9, after he launched an indefinite protest seeking early recruitment notification for 56,432 posts and a CBI investigation into alleged irregularities in the Karnataka Public Service Commission. The protest was held at the Gandhi Vana in front of the Dharwad Deputy Commissioner’s office.

The police arrived at the protest venue and requested Kanthkumar to end his protest, citing a court order that did not permit him to protest in Dharwad. However, Kanthkumar refused to comply, arguing that the State government might delay the recruitment process due to the upcoming elections to the Greater Bengaluru Authority.

An argument broke out between Kanthkumar and police officials, and Police Inspector Dayanand Shegunasi warned him against continuing the agitation, stating that it would be a contempt of court. Despite the warning, Kanthkumar continued to protest, leading to a scuffle with police personnel who eventually dragged him into a police vehicle.

The immediate outlook is that the police will produce Kanthkumar in court, and further action will be taken according to the law. The AKSSA is likely to continue its demands for early recruitment notification and a CBI investigation into the KPSC irregularities.