Yogi-Style Encounter in Hubballi: Valor or a Cover-Up in a Corrupt Police State? Opinion

synopsis

The brutal murder of a five-year-old girl in Hubballi has sent shockwaves across Karnataka, stirring not just grief but also difficult questions about the state of policing in the region. In the hours following the crime, swift and lethal action by the Hubballi-Dharwad police ended in an encounter killing of the accused, Ritesh Kumar—a 35-year-old migrant worker from Bihar. The city’s Police Commissioner, N. Shashi Kumar, commended the move as justice delivered swiftly for the voiceless.

However, behind the immediacy of this "encounter justice" lies a far more troubling reality: while some officers act with bravery, Karnataka’s police system is plagued by allegations of deep-rooted corruption, privilege abuse, and institutional failure.

The gruesome crime unfolded in Hubballi’s Vijayanagara locality under the jurisdiction of Ashok Nagar police station. CCTV footage reportedly captured Ritesh luring the child with chocolates and leading her into an abandoned shed. Her screams reportedly alerted neighbors, but by then, the alleged assailant had strangled the girl in a panic and fled the scene. Police swiftly registered charges under the POCSO Act for attempted rape, murder, and assault on officers.

When the police escorted Ritesh to his residence for identity verification, the situation turned volatile. According to their account, Ritesh grew violent and hurled stones at the vehicle. Sub-Inspector Annaporneshwari, leading the operation, first fired a warning shot, then reportedly fired again when he attempted to escape, hitting him in the leg and back. He was later declared dead at the Karnataka Medical College and Research Institute-Hubballi. Three officers were also injured in the process.

For Commissioner Shashi Kumar, the operation reflected the police’s dedication to safeguarding the city's most vulnerable. The public, particularly in poorer sections often neglected by authorities, found some relief in the promptness of the action. Yet, troubling questions linger. Was the speed of the encounter—resolving a horrific crime in mere hours—too fast for due process? Why were there no external witnesses present? While swift action can soothe public anger, it can also shroud vital leads, closing investigative doors too soon.

Hubballi’s show of courage, unfortunately, sits uneasily against the dark backdrop of allegations staining Karnataka’s police leadership. Just weeks earlier, in March 2025, Director General of Police (DGP) K. Ramachandra Rao was thrust into controversy after his stepdaughter, Kannada actress Ranya Rao, was arrested at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport with 14.2 kilograms of gold smuggled from Dubai. According to the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Ranya misused police privileges—allegedly secured through Rao’s instructions—to bypass customs inspections using VIP green channel access.

The state government placed DGP Rao on compulsory leave and initiated an internal probe under Additional Chief Secretary Gaurav Gupta. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) are also probing links to a wider smuggling syndicate, citing Ranya’s frequent foreign travel. Though Rao has denied involvement, the scandal casts a long, dark shadow over the force’s top brass.

Further south in Bengaluru, allegations swirl around Inspector AV Kumar of the Annapoorneshwarinagar Police Station, dubbed a "land vulture" by locals. Since 2019, Kumar has allegedly manipulated landowners into selling high-value plots at meager prices using threats of false criminal cases. In one 2021 case, he was reportedly involved in brokering a high-end real estate deal, earning massive commissions. Despite the wealth he has amassed—far beyond a government salary—investigations have gone nowhere, allegedly stalled by political protection. Kumar’s station is now viewed as a hub of profiteering rather than public service.

This juxtaposition—the courage of officers like Annaporneshwari in Hubballi against the rot festering in the system—is deeply troubling. The encounter may have calmed protests outside Ashok Nagar station, but it doesn’t erase the questions. How could a known stranger abduct a child in broad daylight? Where were the preventive measures? Locals point fingers at some officers more invested in side hustles than patrol duty.

What Karnataka needs is more than a few flashes of bravery—it needs structural reform. The valor of a few cannot be allowed to conceal the failure of the many. Encounters should not be a substitute for thorough investigation. Justice for the girl and others like her means a system that not only reacts but prevents such horrors from unfolding in the first place.

The accusations against DGP Rao and Inspector Kumar must be investigated transparently, without political interference. Independent reviews of police encounters, asset audits for officials, and accountability at every level must follow. Karnataka’s police system cannot afford to be seen as a tale of two extremes: heroism at the bottom, decay at the top.

The shed in Hubballi, where a child’s life was stolen, stands as a grim symbol of the rot that must be excised. But it also stands as a reminder—of the kind of police force Karnataka could have if integrity, courage, and accountability walked hand in hand. The question is: will Karnataka seize this moment for reform—or let another tragedy fade into bureaucratic amnesia?

(The author Girish Linganna of this article is an award-winning Science Writer and a Defence, Aerospace & Political Analyst based in Bengaluru. He is also Director of ADD Engineering Components, India, Pvt. Ltd, a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany. You can reach him, at: girishlinganna@gmail.com)