Bengaluru: A magisterial inquiry conducted into the violence in Madikeri during Tipu Sultan Jayanti celebrations on November 10, 2015, has held the Kodagu Deputy Commissioner (DC) and the Superintendent of Police (SP) responsible for the clash which claimed the life of two people, including VHP activist Kuttappa.

Absence of the DC and the SP from the district headquarters as they went on leave before the celebrations, and their failure to hold peace meetings led to the violence, said the 191-page report, which was accepted by the State Cabinet on Wednesday.

Deputy Commissioner of Mysuru C. Shikha conducted the magisterial probe into the violence and submitted the report to the State government. The absence of the two top officials, when their presence was very much required, has been cited as the major reason for the situation going out of control. It was also decided to seek an explanation from the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Southern Range, about the violence.

Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T.B. Jayachandra, who briefed presspersons on the decisions taken at the Cabinet meeting here, said the inquiry report recommended transfer of and non-executive posts for both SP Vartika Katiyar and DC Meer Anees Ahmed. Mr. Ahmed, however, retired from service recently. Notices will be served on Ms. Katiyar and Mr. Ahmed and a departmental inquiry will be conducted against them as recommended by the report.

Ms. Katiyar had gone on leave three days before the celebrations while Mr. Ahmed went on leave just a day before the event. Chief Executive Officer of the Kodagu Zilla Panchayat M. Kurma Rao was in charge of district affairs in the absence of the DC.

Ms. Katiyar wanted leave to play badminton and had applied for it with effect from November 6.

A tense situation had prevailed in Madikeri town after Kuttappa died during a protest against the government’s decision to celebrate Tipu Sultan Jayanti. The report said Kuttappa, who was organising secretary of the VHP, suffered head injuries in stone-pelting when members of two groups clashed.