Bhatkal officer missing after alleging harassment traced in Belagavi; police to probe Kumta chief officer

Bhatkal: The 25-year-old Dalit Revenue Inspector from Kumta Town Municipality, who had gone missing after accusing his senior officer of harassment and caste abuse, has been found safe in Belagavi, days after his disappearance triggered outrage among municipal staff and local residents.

The officer, Venkatesh Ramesh Harijan, hails from Harijanakeri in Koteshwara, Bhatkal taluk, and was serving as a Revenue Inspector at the Kumta Municipality. He reportedly left his home on Tuesday night without informing anyone, following what his family described as constant humiliation and mental pressure at work.

Before going missing, Venkatesh had sent a WhatsApp message to a group of municipal members and staff, alleging that Chief Officer M.R. Swamy had been harassing him repeatedly and using casteist remarks because he was a Dalit.

His mother, Asha Ramesh Harijan, lodged a missing person complaint at the Bhatkal Town Police Station, stating that her son had been mentally disturbed due to the CO’s behaviour. She told police that he had faced sustained workplace harassment and public humiliation.

A letter written by Venkatesh, reportedly sent to a colleague before he went missing, accused Swamy of misusing the name of Kumta MLA Dinakar Shetty to justify illegal activities. The letter also alleged that Swamy had pressured him to demand a bribe of Rs 4 lakh and to manipulate official records, including changing government building documents from the ‘B account’ to the ‘A account’.

After nearly two days of search, Venkatesh contacted his family from Belagavi, informing them that he was safe. A police team from Bhatkal immediately travelled to the city and located him at the Market Police Station there.

The incident has caused widespread anger among Kumta Municipality staff, who have condemned the alleged harassment and demanded the immediate transfer of Chief Officer M.R. Swamy. They have also submitted a memorandum to the Municipal President, calling for a fair probe into the matter.

Police officials confirmed that a detailed investigation will be carried out into the allegations of mental and caste-based harassment against the Chief Officer.