B. B. Ashok Kumar

Biddanda Bopanna Ashok Kumar (or B.B.Ashok Kumar; also known as 'Tiger Ashok Kumar') [born in Parane village, Virajpet,(COORG) Kodagu, Karnataka, India] is a retired Assistant Commissioner of Police. The son of a coffee estate manager in Koppa-Chikkamagalur and latter in Sakleshpura, Hassan. Kumar joined the Karnataka State Police Service in 1977 and retired on 31 July 2012.^[1]

Early life

B.B.Ashok Kumar studied in St. Joseph High School at Hassan, and completed his Bachelors in Science degree from Hassan Government College. He was a part of NCC in the college. He initially wanted to join the military (Indian Army). He attended the important major camps of NCC during his college days like Maratha Light Infantry Summer camp at Belgaum, Advance Leadership Course at Pahalgaum at J & K, Mountainaring Course at Uttar Kashi and Republic Day camp at New Delhi. He passed his "B" and "C" certificates of NCC in distinction. When he was in the final year of B.Sc., he attended Indian Military Academy (IMA) at Bhopal in the year 1973 and passed with distinction and soon after passing his final year B.Sc. degree he was to join IMA at Kadakvasla as an Indian Army officer. He was a student leader at that time. He was working very hard for his final year degree. At that time, an incident happened and shattered his fate and future. His friend and college mate Raju was wrongly caught by the police due to misidentity. After allegedly being subject to treatment of the third degree, the best friend died in the lock-up (lock-up death). This incident brought a bad feeling against police and made him to hate the police force.^[2] Police become his enemy. He led the college and school students procession against the police force. Overcome with grief, the boy pelted stones at buildings and the police and set fire to vehicles. During this time, he couldn't appear for his final theory exams and pass his final-year degree. He failed that year and missed his commission in the Indian Army.^[3] He was mischievous in school, and his original name was only B.B. Ashok (as kept by his parents); his mentor at St. Josephs School added Kumar to his name to avoid confusion with another student named BB Ashok. He is a disciple of Swami Vivekananda. Amitabh Bachchan's film Zanzeer was his inspiration to later join the police. When he failed in the year 1973 he could not stay in Hassan so he went to Bangalore to look for a job.

Career

His first job was that of salesman in Balepet, Bata Shoe showroom in Bangalore. Once his college NCC officer visited his working place Bata shop and shocked to see Ashok as salesman. He joked "what Ashok you studied B.Sc., and joined Bata Shoe Company" and advised strongly to resign and go back to Hassan and complete B.Sc., degree and try for Military again and told Ashok Kumar you are born with uniform! After the completion of degree, he joined as a purchasing officer in Peenya Industrial Estate. Eventually, he joined Government Law College, Bangalore. CRPC (Criminal Procedure Code) was his favourite subject, it forced him to join Police Services.

He applied for Karnataka State Police Department-as Sub-Inspector Of Police in the year 1976, and got selected in 1977 by spending only Rs.27. He started working as PSI Chamrajpet Police in traffic duty, which he did not like. He met the then Commissioner of Police Garudachaar and requested for the post in crime branch, which many officers didn't want to have. Commissioner was surprised by Ashok's interest. During these years he worked with the then DCP"s Traffic Mr. Sangliana, and Mr. Ajay Kumar singh. He was successful in detecting Illicit Liquors by chasing the lorries in which the culprits were carrying. As a Traffic Cop, he always used and like to chase the motorist who violate the traffic rules and when they fail to stop- in his bullet motor cycle. Once, he caught Madhu Bangarappa after chasing his Maruthi-800 in which he was driving and fined him 1000 rupees, since he had hit-and-run the then Commissioner of Police Sri. P.G. Halarankar I.P.S.official car on charges of reckless driving, overspeeding, fail to stop. Later, they became friends.

The breakthrough in his career came on 23 October 1984, when there was a series of gold chain-snatching cases reported from ladies who were walking in the deserted lonely places of Bangalore City. It was also considered a breakthrough for the Police, since from one and half years ago two culprits in a yezdi motor cycle came became a big headache for the Bangalore city police.The then Police Commissioner Sri P.G. Halarankar. I.P.S. planned a sketch to nab the duo culprits by naming "OPERATION TIGER". In this plan he involved all the Police force of Bangalore City. In this mission B.B.Ashok Kumar finally traced the motor cycle duo at Koramangala on 23 October 1984 (Narakachaturdashi, Deepavaly festival day), when they fail to stop Ashok Kumar gave a hot chase in his Bullet motor cycle CAG348 for a long distance inside Koramangala and finally opened two rounds of Fire with his Service Revolver on them on move and dashed their yezdi motor cycle and rammed into them near Madiwala Police Station and physically fought with them on the main road during that time the pillion rider slashed bleeding injury on the left palm of Ashok Kumar with a Rambo Knife and with all this Ashok Kumar along with his pillion rider Shri. Allah Baksh,CAR PC cought both the culprits. Both the culprits were own brothers and their names Gopal and Narendra. Latter from these two culprits Police could detect 52 gold chain snatching cases of Bangalore city which they committed since from One and half-year. Out of 52 chain snatching cases 49 Mangala suthras of womenfolk were detected. Police Commissioner kept a function in Bangalore Police Commissioners Office and called all the Police Officers of city and the chief guest was the then Home Minister Sri. B.Rachaiah, who returned all the gold chains and mangalasuthras to the ladies who had lost. Many husbands tied the mangalasuthras then and there in that function to their wives. Many elderly ladies came and touched Ashok Kumars feet and which made his eyes wet. Further this incident made him to work with more commitment. Unfortunately these two culprits Gopal and Narendra are the own brothers of a leading Politician of to-day. By this successful mission B.B.Ashok Kumar was named as "TIGER" by the friends,relatives, Press,colleagues,seniors,Police Commissioner and the then home minister Sri B. Rachaiah. During 1986 B.B. Ashok Kumar was awarded with President of India Gallantry Gold Medal for this gallant work. Mr.Allaha Bakash CAR PC was awarded with Karnataka Chief Ministers Gold medal. In 1989 B.B.Ashok Kumar did the first encounter of B'lore city .One natorious rowdy Station Shekar the right hand of the then Don Jairaj was encountered. Jairaj filed a false fake encounter criminal Murder case against Ashok Kumar and 9 other Police Officers in this incident and the then High court advocate Justice Santosh Hegde fought this case on behalf of the police officers without taking any fees, and thus they were successful in winning the case. In the meanwhile, the Don Jayraj and his advocate Vardamanaiah died in an encounter together near Lalbagh and the Station Shekar case was closed. From 1990 to 1994 B.B.Ashok Kumar served in the Special Task Force (STF) at MM Hills forest (both in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu) to nab Natorious dreaded human killer VEERAPPN along with the then STF Commandors sri KU Shetty IPS..Sri.Madiyal. IPS.,Sri.Hari Krishna. IPS., Dr. Ajai Kumar Singh. IPS.,and with Sri.Shankar Mahadeva Bidari. IPS. very successfully.

In his 35years of service he has detected more than 26 Kidnapping cases, and detected more than 100 murder cases, dacoity and robbery cases. He has encountered 18 dreaded criminals in Karnataka. He also has reformed a lot of criminals and rowdies during his service.He was a terror for criminals in his service.

It is also said that he in the verge of entering Politics.^[4]

Honours and awards

He won the President of Indias Gold Medal thrice and CM of Karnatakas Gold medal once. Other Karnataka Police officers who won the President’s Medal thrice are Shankar Bidari, Gopal Hosur and G.A. Bawa. He was honoured with 'Tiger' title from the Home Minister in 1984.

In films and literature

There are four Kannada movies made on his experience and adventures till date.

1. Amanusha (1989-Kannada actor Ananth Nag acted as Inspector Ashok Kumar.)
2. Circle Inspector (1995-Kannada actor Devaraj acted as Inspector Ashok Kumar)
3. Deadly Soma 1998
4. Deadly-2, 2004 in both the movies Kannada actor Devaraj acted as Inspector Ashok Kumar
5. Mynaa (2013-Tamil actor and MLA Sharath Kumar acted as ACP Ashok Kumar)

He is frequently depicted in various books about Bangalore Underworld and Crime in Karnataka. Ravi Belegare Books also portray him. He is currently penning his auto-biography by the name " Huliya Nenapugalu. " .His real experience is appearing in the Sunday Vijayjkarnataka Kannada news paper as " Bullet Savari ". (From 23 June 2013 onwards.)

References