In a decisive move, Hassan Deputy Commissioner K.S. Lathakumari has ordered the suspension of four additional Revenue Department officials. This action comes after allegations of serious dereliction of duty during the ongoing Hasanamba festival.
The officials facing suspension include Santosh Ambigera, the Village Administrative Officer (VAO) for Rajana Sirihyur in Belur taluk; Shiraj Kachur, VAO for Adaguru, also in Belur taluk; Yoganand, Revenue Inspector (RI) for Halekote hobli in Holenarasipur taluk; and Govindaraj, RI for K. Hoskote in Alur taluk.
These individuals were assigned duties at the crucial gold-card scanning center within the temple premises. Disturbingly, reports indicate that they failed to properly invalidate scanned gold cards, effectively allowing the same cards to be reused for unauthorized entry. This serious breach was first observed by the Hassan Assistant Commissioner, who promptly submitted a detailed report. Acting on this report, the Deputy Commissioner initiated the suspensions in strict accordance with the Karnataka Civil Services (Rules).
The Hasanamba temple festival draws massive crowds, with the Hassan district administration carefully regulating entry through a system of limited ‘golden cards’ – only 1,000 are issued daily. Since Friday, October 10, the temple has witnessed a surge of devotees from across Karnataka and neighboring regions.
It’s worth noting that these are not the first suspensions during the ongoing festival. Previously, the Deputy Commissioner had also suspended two officials from the Social Welfare Department for misusing their official identity cards, signaling a firm stance against any misconduct and ensuring accountability.