Slapgate incident: Karnataka cop Baramani seeks VRS after CM Siddaramaiah's public slap gesture in Belagavi

Karnataka cop Narayan V Baramani has sought voluntary retirement after CM Siddaramaiah’s public slap gesture during a Belagavi event. Baramani cited humiliation in his VRS request and awaits government approval. Slapgate incident.

Dharwad: Additional Superintendent of Police Narayan V Baramani, a senior officer with 31 years of service, has applied for voluntary retirement (VRS) following a controversial incident in April involving Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The officer submitted his request a month ago and is currently awaiting a response from the government.

Baramani, who has four years of service left before superannuation, reportedly cited humiliation over a public slap gesture by the Chief Minister during a function in Belagavi as the reason for his decision to step down.

CM Siddaramaiah’s public gesture sparked criticism 

The incident occurred during a government event in Belagavi when a group of BJP workers began protesting by raising slogans and waving black flags. Irritated by the disruption, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah summoned the officer to the dais, demanding to know who was responsible for law and order.

As Baramani approached the stage to receive instructions, Siddaramaiah raised his hand in a gesture appearing to slap the officer, an act caught in full public view. The gesture drew widespread criticism from citizens, police circles, and opposition parties, who called it disrespectful and demeaning.

Officer mentions incident in his VRS request 

Sources revealed that Baramani explicitly mentioned the Belagavi incident in his letter seeking VRS. The officer had been deployed to Belagavi from Dharwad on duty when the episode unfolded. Though there was no formal protest from police associations, many officers reportedly resented the public humiliation.

Government attempts to retain officer 

Following the submission of his VRS request, both Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Home Minister G Parameshwara held discussions with Baramani in an effort to persuade him to withdraw his resignation. However, as of now, Baramani continues to await formal acceptance of his request.