Bengaluru cop, constable suspended after ex-BPCL officer's post on bribery after daughter's death goes viral

A deeply emotional social media post by a retired Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) officer from Bengaluru has drawn widespread outrage.

In the post, the man, identified as former Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of BPCL, K. Sivakumar, wrote his painful experience of being compelled to pay bribes at every stage while handling formalities following the death of his daughter.

According to his post on LinkedIn, Sivakumar stated that he faced corruption and indifference after the passing of his 34-year-old daughter, Akshaya.

He said, “Recently, my only child passed away at age 34. The amount open bribe being asked by the ambulance, police for FIR and post-mortem report, crematorium for giving a receipt, BBMP office for a death certificate. I paid the inspector at the Belandur police station, who was so arrogant. With no empathy for a father who lost his only child. Very sad state. I had money I paid, what will the poor do?”

Police reacts

After the post went viral and drew widespread outrage, Bengaluru's Whitefield Police took swift action.

"In connection with the incident mentioned in Sivakumar's tweet, one PSI and one Police Constable of Bellandur Police Station have been immediately suspended. The Police Department will not tolerate any such indecent or inappropriate behaviour under any circumstances," the police said.

Police added, "The Police Department will not tolerate any such indecent or inappropriate behaviour under any circumstances.”

BJP reacts

Meanwhile, BJP state vice president Malavika Avinash extended her condolences to K. Sivakumar and slammed the Congress government in the state, as reported by NDTV.

She said, “First and foremost, I offer my deepest condolences to Mr K. Sivakumar. He has not only endured the immense personal grief of losing his young daughter but has also had to face significant government apathy.”

She added, “I think the Urban Development Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, DK Shiv Kumar, have to come forth and explain what happened. Why, sir, why this apathy? Why is it that a citizen of Bengaluru is having to suffer the way he has? And what's worse, he's deleted his post. Who is it that ordered him to delete it, or who is it that forced him to delete it? Please explain.”

(With inputs from NDTV)