Mysore: Taking serious note of assault on ATI Director General V. Rashmi by some members of Venkatesh’s family and others at the premises of the Administrative Training Institute (ATI), City Police Commissioner Dr. M.A. Saleem has suspended SI Narendra Babu, attached to Nazarbad Police Station for dereliction of duty.

Disclosing this at a press conference at his office in city, Dr. Saleem said that Narendra Babu, who was posted to escort the body of Venkatesh, which was found in the sump at ATI premises on Thursday from Mysore to Kunigal, failed to perform his duty and instead remained in the mortuary assuming that Venkatesh’s relatives had taken the body to Kunigal for funeral.

Admitting failure on the part of the Department in ensuing smooth shifting of the body to Kunigal, Dr. Saleem said that this lapse on the part of Narendra helped Venkatesh’s relatives to bring the body back to the ATI premises where Rashmi was assaulted by Venkatesh’s relatives and some others.

Four teams of cops, formed to expedite the investigation, based on footages from CCTV cameras installed at the premises and video clippings aired by news channels, yesterday night arrested 19 persons including some employees, ex-employees of ATI and others responsible for the assault on ATI Director General, he said and added that cops were on the lookout for five others involved in the assault.

Rashmi has filed a complaint with Nazarbad Police, alleging assault on her, her gunman Ganesh has filed a complaint alleging that he was not allowed to perform his duties while the son of the deceased Venkatesh has lodged a complaint accusing Rashmi of being responsible for his father’s death, Dr. Saleem added.

Charge-Memo to Inspector Poovaiah: Dr. Saleem also said that a Charge-Memo has been issued to Nazarbad Inspector K.C. Poovaiah, seeking his explanation about the incident.