RTI activist files complaint against Kumaraswamy over 'kill mercilessly' remark

The Chief Minister was caught on camera asking to 'mercilessly' kill the accused in the murder of a JDS worker.

ANI photo

Bengaluru: RTI activist Narasimha Murthy on Wednesday filed a complaint with the Human Rights Commision against Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy over the latter's 'kill mercilessly' remark.

Slamming the country's law and constitution, the activist said, "The Chief Minister told police officials to shoot the culprits. In our country, there's law and constitution. Procedure of law should be followed, the Chief Minister cannot give such statements," Murthy said.

The Chief Minister on Monday was caught on camera asking to 'mercilessly' kill the accused in the murder of a Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) worker. Media reports suggested that the Chief Minister was apparently speaking to a senior police officer following the death of JDS leader Honnalagere Prakash.

"Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy caught on cam telling someone on the phone 'He(murdered JDS leader Prakash) was a good man, I don't know why did they murder him. Kill them (assailants) mercilessly in a shootout, no problem," news agency ANI quoted Kumaraswamy as saying.

H Prakash was killed by four assailants due to alleged personal rivalry in Karnataka's Maddur town in Mandya district on Monday. The JDS worker was also a former Zilla Panchayat (ZP) member of the district.