Karnataka ASP Baramani Seeks Voluntary Retirement After Public Humiliated By CM Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: An Additional Superintendent of Police, who was publicly humiliated by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on April 28, 2025 at Belagavi, has sought voluntary retirement from the services.

Though officer Narayan V Baramani has submitted his voluntary retirement application on June 12 to the Chief Secretary, the government had kept the issue under the wraps and tried to convince him to withdraw the application,

First, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil tried to persuade Baramani very next day and promised to arrange for a meeting with the chief minister. On June 19, Baramani was called to Bengaluru, where at least five ministers spoke to him, before taking him to Siddaramaiah. Even Siddaramaiah asked him to forget the incident as he had shouted at him in a fit of rage. Baramani, who did not speak anything, returned to Belagavi, but refused to withdraw his voluntary retirement application.

When multiple people -- both from the department and political circle started persuading him, he went on leave. For the last one week, Baramani has made himself incommunico to everyone and even his family members are not opening their mouths about his whereabouts.

The incident had taken place on April 28, when the State Congress had organised a huge protest against the Central government's price hike policy. Even Siddaramaiah attended the rally. When Siddaramaiah came on the dais to speak, he noticed a few black flags being waved and slogans shouting against him. Irked by the sight and slogans, Siddaramaiah shouted at police and asked the SP to come near him. When Baramani, who was in-charge of the situation, went near Siddaramaiah, he tried to slap him. However, Baramani moved one step backward and escaped the slap.

In his letter to the Chief Secretary, Baramani said that he was pained by the action of the Chief Minister, who not only publicly humiliated a senior police officer, but also did not have courtesy to console or comfort him.

``During the next two days, the television channels played the video clipping of the incident repeatedly. I could not answer the telephone calls by my relatives and well wishers, who tried to comfort me. It rather depressed me. I thought about it for a month. During my 31-years of service as a police officer, I have held various posts and proudly say that I maintained an unblemished service record. But this incident has really hurt me. If I can not fight for my own rights, I don't think I can render justice to anyone. Under such circumstances, it is better not to continue as a police officer and I am seeking voluntary retirement from my services.''