Shivamogga SP resumes duty after self-isolation

Shivamogga: After 14 days of being in self-isolation, superintendent of police K M Shantharaju got back to work on Tuesday. He is the first SP level officer in the state who went into self-isolation. He went into self-isolation after a minor girl, who was a victim of sexual assault, from Shikaripura, tested positive for Covid-19, and had come in contact with police personnel who were investigating the case. Along with SP, six other personnel from his office were also advised self-isolation, and have resumed duty now.
According to sources, the investigating officer of the sexual assault case had met senior officials in the SP’s office.As an ad-hock arrangement, the police department sent three new police officers (DSPs) and additional SP Jayaprakash to Shivamogga, to monitor the law and order situation.
Shantharaju missed most of the events that took place during lockdown 4.0, due to being in self-isolation. On Monday, even though three ministers, including district in-charge minister K S Eshwarappa, cooperation minister S T Somashekar, and urban development minister B Basavaraj attended a series of programmes, Shantharaju remained absent. He joined Shivamogga deputy commissioner K B Sivakumar on Tuesday, to inspect the police quarters and the District Armed Reserved Police ground.
This ground is now declared as a containment zone, after 9 KSRP constables and two DAR personnel tested positive for Covid-19.
A total 22 KSRP personnel were deputed during the riots in Padarayanapura in Bengaluru. They returned to the district four days ago. Nine of them tested positive for Covid-19. The 11 infected, including two DAR personnel, are being treated at McGann Hospital. According to new guidelines, the primary contacts have been advised home quarantine.