T. Narasipur Inspector’s controversial remarks: Now, videographer booked for ‘editing’

Mysuru: The controversy surrounding the T. Narasipur Ganesha procession, in which Inspector Dhananjaya was accused of using derogatory words against Hindu activists, has taken a new turn with the Police registering an FIR against the person who recorded the video containing the alleged remarks.

The FIR (No. 323/2026) was registered at the T. Narasipur Police Station on Sept. 15 against Manjunath, editor of local channel ‘Benki TV’ and a resident of Kebbe village in Sosale hobli of T. Narasipur taluk.

The FIR has been registered under Section 353 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, which deals with statements conducing to public mischief, including false information, rumours and content that may cause public alarm or promote enmity between communities.

Procession tomorrow evening

Meanwhile, preparations are under way for the Ganesha immersion procession at T. Narasipur tomorrow (Sept. 18) evening. Hindu and BJP organisations are planning to take out a rally/procession at 4 pm, though the list of participating leaders and organisations has not yet been finalised.

Sources said hundreds of activists from Mysuru are expected to attend the rally. The organisers are also yet to decide whether to take the procession through the route where a mosque is located. A final decision on the route is expected tomorrow, sources added.

Details of FIR

The FIR, accessed by Star of Mysore, was registered based on a complaint lodged by S. Yashavantha, a Policeman attached to T. Narasipur Police Station.

According to the FIR, a peace meeting was held at the Police station on Sept. 7 ahead of the Gowri-Ganesha festival. Leaders and residents from different communities were invited.

Inspector Dhananjaya addressed the gathering for about an hour, explaining Government orders and the rules to be followed during the procession, besides referring to incidents reported during previous years. Media personnel present at the meeting recorded the proceedings.

The FIR states that the last 9-10 minutes of the recording contained the Inspector’s remarks about an incident the previous year, when some youths allegedly installed a Ganapati idol without permission near a mosque on Link Road, raised slogans, danced and behaved in a manner that could lead to communal tension.

According to the FIR, Manjunath edited the recording and uploaded only a portion of it on the Instagram account of ‘Benki TV’, instead of posting the entire video. The FIR alleges that the edited clip gave the impression that the Inspector had used derogatory language.

The clip was subsequently circulated widely on social media, downloaded and reposted by several people and went viral, the FIR stated. It further stated that the post created fear and tension among different groups and had the potential to disturb communal harmony ahead of the Ganesha immersion procession.