Detentions follow denial of permission for demonstration
Hubballi police detained 10 members of the All Karnataka State Students Association (AKSSA), including its president Kantakumar, on Tuesday as they tried to stage a protest against alleged irregularities in the Civil Police Constable recruitment examination. The arrests took place before demonstrators could reach a garden near Michigan Compound, the site where AKSSA had planned to assemble.
Police Commissioner N. Shashikumar ordered enhanced deployment across key approaches to the venue, with more than 400 personnel — including Deputy Commissioners of Police, Assistant Commissioners of Police and Inspectors — posted at strategic points in Saptapur, Jayanagar, Srinagar and other areas, officials said. Several teams were conducting searches for AKSSA leaders since early Tuesday morning.
“The organisation staged protests in the past during which several untoward incidents have occurred. Keeping this in mind, permission was not granted for the protest. Despite this, it announced that it will go ahead with the demonstration. Hence, 10 people, including Mr. Kantakumar, were detained as a preventive measure,” he said.
According to police, Kantakumar was located at a coaching centre and taken into custody before being brought to Hubballi. Nine other AKSSA leaders who had travelled from neighbouring districts to support the planned demonstration were detained near Michigan Compound, the statement added. The authorities characterised the action as preventive detention to avert any law-and-order situation.
Protest demand and students' response
AKSSA had announced the protest on Monday under the leadership of Kantakumar, seeking a re-examination of the Civil Police Constable recruitment test amid allegations of irregularities in the examination process. Leaders of the organisation criticised the detentions and accused the police of suppressing a peaceful agitation aimed at highlighting procedural lapses in recruitment.
- Number detained: 10 (including AKSSA president)
- Police deployed: 400+ personnel
- Planned venue: garden near Michigan Compound
Police denied permission for the demonstration, citing the history of earlier protests by the organisation and concerns over possible untoward incidents. The commissioner said the denial was rooted in preventive policing and the need to maintain public order in the city.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Detained | 10 AKSSA members (including Kantakumar) |
| Deployment | Over 400 police personnel |
| Planned protest site | Garden, Michigan Compound, Hubballi |
Heavy security arrangements were visible across Saptapur, Jayanagar and Srinagar as a precautionary measure, police said. Teams maintained surveillance of likely routes to the venue and were reported to have intercepted activists travelling from other districts.
The episode adds to growing tensions around recruitment examinations in Karnataka, where allegations of paper leaks, irregularities and demands for retests have periodically sparked protests. In Hubballi, the matter acquired immediate local salience because the AKSSA had mobilised students and youth to press for a re-examination of the Civil Police Constable recruitment test.
Lawyers, local activists and student leaders across Karnataka have in previous instances sought judicial intervention on recruitment irregularities; however, the current police action in Hubballi reflects a reliance on preventive measures to control public assemblies. There was no immediate word from AKSSA on whether it would seek legal remedies or hold further demonstrations following the detentions.
Police officials said they would provide further details on any formal charges or the duration of custody for the detained leaders after completing procedural formalities. The developments are likely to keep the recruitment controversy under local scrutiny as concerned candidates, families and political observers monitor the situation in Hubballi and Dharwad.
