Senior police reshuffle after Ballari banner clash

Bengaluru: In the wake of the violent clash between supporters of MLAs Janardhan Reddy and Bharath Reddy over the installation of banners in Ballari, the government has ordered a significant reshuffle in the police department. Coming soon after the suspension of the Ballari Superintendent of Police, the state government has now transferred IGP Vartika Katiyar and appointed new officers to key posts in the region.

As per the government order, DIG Vartika Katiyar has been transferred to the Civil Rights and Enforcement wing.

Dr P.S. Harsha has been appointed as the new Inspector General of Police (IGP) for the Ballari range. The government has also filled the vacant post of Ballari SP by appointing Dr Suman Pennekar.

The position had fallen vacant following the suspension of SP Pawan Nejjur.

The administrative action follows the death of Congress worker Rajasekhar in the banner-related violence, which had rocked Ballari district and raised serious questions about law and order. Taking a serious view of the incident, the state government had earlier suspended SP Pawan Nejjur, holding him responsible for the police’s alleged failure to prevent and control the violence.

Notably, Pawan Nejjur had assumed charge as Ballari SP only a day before the incident and was suspended within 24 hours of taking charge, making the episode particularly unfortunate. According to official sources, the police were found to have failed in effectively managing the situation and preventing the escalation of tensions between rival political groups. It has been revealed that DIG Vartika Katiyar had submitted a report to the state government recommending disciplinary action against the Ballari SP, citing lapses in handling the situation.

Acting on this report, the government moved swiftly to suspend Pawan Nejjur.

The subsequent transfer of DIG Katiyar is being seen as part of a broader administrative response aimed at restoring stability and accountability in the region.

Following the suspension, sensational reports had surfaced claiming that Pawan Nejjur had attempted suicide by consuming tablets at a friend’s farmhouse in Tumakuru. It was reported that he was immediately rushed to a hospital and had narrowly escaped danger. However, these reports were later denied by Nejjur’s father, who issued a clarification stating that his son had not attempted suicide under any circumstances.

The alleged suicide attempt became a major political flashpoint, with the opposition BJP launching a scathing attack on the Congress-led state government. BJP leaders accused the government of targeting honest officers and exerting undue pressure on the police machinery, leading to severe mental distress among officers.

The banner clash and its fallout have kept Ballari on edge, exposing deep political rivalries and administrative challenges.

With the latest reshuffle, the state government hopes to stabilise the law-and-order situation and prevent further escalation, even as political blame games over the incident continue to intensify.