Bhatkal: The police detained RTI activists and social workers during a sit-in protest outside the old Tahsildar office near the Old Bus Stand but released them after holding them for a few hours. The protesters were demanding action against the long-standing issue of officials and staff not being transferred for over a decade, which they claimed led to rampant bribery.

The sit-in protest, which began on Friday, was organized by members of the RTI Workers' Forum and the Forum of Social Workers. According to the protesters, officers and staff in the Tahsildar and Assistant Commissioner’s offices have remained in their posts for 10 to 15 years, fostering an environment where no work is done without bribery. They further explained that a month ago, they had submitted a memorandum to the Uttara Kannada district administration, warning that if their demands were not addressed, they would launch a protest. However, no action was taken, which led to the demonstration.

On Friday evening, Bhatkal Tahsildar Nagaraj Naikad arrived at the site to speak with the protesters, who informed him that if their demands were not met by Monday, they would escalate the protest with a hunger strike.

Today, Saturday evening, the Tahsildar approached the protesters once again, requesting them to end the sit-in. He gave them a written assurance on his official letterhead, promising that their demands would be addressed within two months. However, the protesters rejected this assurance, stating that the authority to transfer officials lies with the district administration, and they needed a direct assurance from the Deputy Commissioner.

When all attempts to resolve the situation peacefully failed, the taluk administration issued a formal instruction to the police to clear the protest site.

Bhatkal Rural Police Inspector Chandan Gopal, along with his team, arrived at the scene and took the protesters into custody. The area was then cleared by municipal workers under the supervision of the Municipal Chief Officer, with all banners and posters being removed. After being held at the police station for a few hours, the protesters were released.

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