Karnataka cops transferred for lifting BJP MLA Channabasappa at Ganesh procession
Synopsis
A viral video of two uniformed Karnataka cops hoisting BJP MLA S.N. Channabasappa on their shoulders during a Ganesh procession has cost them their postings. The incident lands in Shivamogga — one of Karnataka's most communally sensitive districts — raising pointed questions about police neutrality in politically charged religious events.
Key Takeaways
Shivamogga District SP Nikhil ordered the transfer of two police personnel on 16 September 2026 after a viral video showed them lifting BJP MLA S.N.
Channabasappa during a Ganesh procession.
The officers — constables Ganesh and A.K.
Prakash — were attached to Shivamogga East Traffic Police Station before their transfers.
Ganesh has been posted to Agumbe police station near Theerthahalli; Prakash to Anavatti police station near Soraba.
The procession was organised by the traffic police station as part of annual Ganesh festival celebrations on the station premises.
Shivamogga has a documented history of communal tensions, including clashes in October 2023 and riots in February 2022 .
Two police personnel from Shivamogga, Karnataka, were transferred on Wednesday, 16 September 2026, after a video showing them lifting Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA S.N. Channabasappa on their shoulders during a Ganesh immersion procession went viral on social media. The Karnataka Police Department confirmed the transfers were part of disciplinary proceedings, following widespread debate over the neutrality of police personnel during public religious events involving political figures.
What the Video Showed
The procession in question was organised by Shivamogga East Traffic Police Station personnel as part of annual Ganesh festival celebrations. The station had installed a Ganesh idol on its premises and taken out a procession. MLA Channabasappa, who represents the Shivamogga city Assembly segment, joined the procession, after which constables Ganesh and A.K. Prakash were seen lifting him on their shoulders and celebrating alongside him. The footage spread rapidly on social media, prompting questions about whether uniformed officers had maintained the political neutrality required of law enforcement.
Orders Issued and Transfers Carried Out
Shivamogga District Superintendent of Police Nikhil issued the transfer orders. According to the order, constable Ganesh has been posted to Agumbe police station near Theerthahalli, while constable A.K. Prakash has been shifted to Anavatti police station near Soraba. Both officers were previously attached to the Shivamogga East Traffic Police Station. The department stated that the action constitutes disciplinary proceedings, though no further punitive measures have been publicly announced.
Why Shivamogga's Backdrop Matters
Shivamogga is widely regarded as a communally sensitive district with a documented history of religious tension. Key incidents include clashes during an Eid Milad procession in October 2023 and riots following the murder of a Bajrang Dal activist in February 2022. The district is also the native place of former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and BJP State President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra, giving it an outsized political significance within Karnataka's BJP ecosystem. Critics argue the optics of uniformed police hoisting a Hindutva-aligned MLA in a procession — however celebratory the occasion — are particularly fraught against this communal backdrop.
Who Is MLA Channabasappa
S.N. Channabasappa represents the Shivamogga city Assembly segment and is known, according to reports, for his staunch Hindutva stance. His participation in a police-station-led religious procession, and the subsequent conduct of the officers, brought the incident under scrutiny beyond the district. The viral spread of the video has also reignited a broader conversation about the boundaries of police participation in religious events, particularly in districts with a history of communal friction.
What Happens Next
The police department has not indicated whether a formal inquiry beyond the transfers is under way. The incident is likely to draw further political comment in the Karnataka Assembly, where the ruling Indian National Congress (Congress) and the BJP are already locked in sustained friction over governance and communal issues. All eyes will be on whether senior police leadership orders a deeper probe or treats the transfers as a concluded matter.
Point of View
And the BJP holds deep organisational roots there. Transfers are the softest form of departmental action, and without a formal inquiry, the episode risks being filed away as a social media storm rather than a genuine accountability moment. In a district where police neutrality has been questioned during communal flare-ups, the bar for credible disciplinary response needs to be higher than a change of posting.
NationPress
16 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why were two Karnataka police officers transferred in Shivamogga?
Two constables — Ganesh and A.K. Prakash — were transferred from Shivamogga East Traffic Police Station on 16 September 2026 after a video showed them lifting BJP MLA S.N. Channabasappa on their shoulders during a Ganesh immersion procession. The Karnataka Police Department initiated disciplinary proceedings after the footage went viral.
Who is S.N. Channabasappa?
S.N. Channabasappa is the BJP MLA representing the Shivamogga city Assembly segment in Karnataka. He is known, according to reports, for his staunch Hindutva stance and joined the Ganesh procession organised by local traffic police personnel.
Where have the transferred officers been posted?
Constable Ganesh has been transferred to Agumbe police station near Theerthahalli, while constable A.K. Prakash has been posted to Anavatti police station near Soraba, both in the Shivamogga district.
Why does the location of this incident matter?
Shivamogga is considered one of Karnataka's most communally sensitive districts, with a history of religious clashes including an Eid Milad procession dispute in October 2023 and riots following a Bajrang Dal activist's murder in February 2022. The conduct of police during religious events is therefore subject to heightened scrutiny there.
Has a formal inquiry been ordered beyond the transfers?
The police department has stated only that the transfers are part of disciplinary proceedings. No formal inquiry beyond the change of posting has been publicly announced as of 16 September 2026.
