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 district, Karnataka, India] is a retired Assistant Commissioner of Police. He is the son of a coffee estate manager in Koppa-Chikkamagalur and later 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 at St. Joseph High School in Hassan, and completed his Bachelors in Science degree from Hassan Government College. He was a part of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) while enrolled in the college. He initially wanted to join the 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, Mountaineering 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. Soon after passing his final year B.Sc. degree, he joined IMA at Kadakvasla as an Indian Army officer. He was a student leader at that time, and was working hard for his final year degree. At that time, an incident happened that shattered his fate and future. His friend and college mate Raju was wrongly detained by police due to a misidentification. After allegedly being subject to cruel treatment, Raju died in the lock-up (Lock up death). This incident turned Ashok against the police force.^[2] The police became his enemy. He led the college and school students' procession against the police force. Overcome with grief, he pelted stones at buildings and at the police and set fire to vehicles. During this time, he couldn't appear for his final theory exams to pass his final year degree. He failed that year and missed his commission in the Indian Army.^[3]When he failed in 1973 he could not stay in Hassan, so he went to Bangalore to look for a job. Ashok was mischievous in school. His original name was B.B. Ashok (as given by his parents), but his mentor at St. Josephs School added Kumar to his name to avoid confusion with another student also named BB Ashok. He is a disciple of Swami Vivekananda. Amitabh Bachchan's film Zanzeer was his inspiration to later join the police.

Career

Ashok's first job was as a salesman in Balepet, Bata showroom in Bangalore. At one point his college NCC officer visited his workplace, a Bata shop, and was shocked to see Ashok working as a salesman. He joked "Ashok you studied B.Sc., and joined Bata Shoe Company!" and strongly advised him to resign, go back to Hassan, complete the B.Sc. degree, and try for the Military again. He told Ashok, "You are born with uniform!" Ashok returned, and after the completion of his degree, he joined as a purchasing officer in Peenya Industrial Estate. Eventually, he joined Government Law College, Bangalore. CRPC (Criminal Procedure Code) was his favorite subject, and it motivated him to join the Police Services.

He applied for Karnataka State Police Department as Sub-Inspector Of Police in the 1976, and was selected in 1977 by spending only Rs.27. He started working as PSI Chamrajpet Police in traffic duty, which he did not like. He then met the Commissioner of Police, Bangalore City Garudachaar and requested a post in the crime branch, which many officers didn't want. The Commissioner was surprised by Ashok's interest. During these years he worked with DCP of Traffic, Mr. Sangliana, and Mr. Ajay Kumar Singh. He was successful in detecting illicit Liquors by chasing the lorries the culprits were carrying them in. As a Traffic Cop, he liked to use his bullet motorcycle to chase motorists who violated the traffic rules and when they failed to stop. Once, he caught Kumar Bangarappa after chasing his Maruti 800 and fined him 1000 rupees. Kumar Bangarappa had hit-and-run the Commissioner of Police, Shri P.G. Halarankar, in his I.P.S. official car. He was charged with reckless driving, speeding, and failure to stop. Later, they became friends.

The breakthrough in his career came when there was a series of gold chain-snatching cases reported by ladies who were walking in deserted areas of Bangalore City. Then Police Commissioner, Sri P.G. Halarankar, and I.P.S. planned a sketch to nab the duo culprits with the name "OPERATION TIGER". In this plan he involved all the Police force of Bangalore City. In this mission, B.B. Ashok Kumar traced the suspected motor cycle duo, which had previously escaped the police in an earlier case, at Koramangala on 23 October 1984 (Narakachaturdashi, Deepavaly festival day). When they failed to stop, Ashok chased them in his Bullet motorcycle CAG348 for a long distance inside Koramangala and fired at them twice with his Service Revolver. He dashed their yezdi motorcycle and rammed into them near Madiwala Police Station. Ashok then physically fought with them on the main road, and during that time the pillion rider slashed Ashok Kumar's left palm with a Bowie Knife. Ashok Kumar; along with his pillion rider Shri Allah Baksh, CAR PC, caught both culprits. These men were brothers, Gopal and Narendra. The police were then able to connect them with 52 gold chain-snatching cases fin Bangalore city that Gopal and Narendra had committed over the course of 1.5 years. Of the 52 chain snatching cases, 49 Mangala sutras [marriage necklaces] of women were found. The Police Commissioner held a function in the Bangalore Police Commissioners Office, and called all the Police Officers of the city to attend. The chief guest was the then Home Minister Sri B. Rachaiah, who returned all the gold chains and Mangala sutras to the women they were stolen from. Many husbands put on the Mangala sutras then and there for their wives. Several elderly women came and touched Ashok Kumar's feet, which brought tears to his eyes. This incident bolstered his commitment to his job. From this successful mission, B.B. Ashok Kumar was nicknamed "Tiger" by his friends, relatives, Press, colleagues, seniors, the Police Commissioner and the then home minister Sri B. Rachaiah. In 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 had his first encounter in Banglore City. He encountered Station Shekar, the right hand man of the then Don Jairaj. Jairaj filed a false fake encounter criminal murder case against Ashok Kumar and 9 other Police Officers. The then High court advocate Justice Santosh Hegde fought this case on behalf of the police officers without taking any fees, and they succeeded in winning the case. In the meantime, the Don Jairaj and his advocate, Vardamanaiah, died together in an encounter 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 a notorious murderer, Veerapan, along with the then STF Commandors Shri KU Shetty IPS. Sri Madiyal IPS., Shri Hari Krishna. IPS., Dr. Ajai Kumar Singh. I.P.S., and with Shri Shankar Mahadeva Bidari I.P.S.

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

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

Honours and awards

He won the President of India's Gold Medal three times and CM of Karnatakas Gold medal once. Other Karnataka Police officers who won the President’s Medal three times are Shankar Bidari, Gopal Hosur and G.A. Bawa. Ashok 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 to 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). Kannada actor Devaraj acted as Inspector Ashok Kumar.
4. Deadly-2 (2004). Kannada actor Devaraj reprised his role as Inspector Ashok Kumar.
5. Mynaa (2013). Tamil actor and MLA Sharath Kumar acted as ACP Ashok Kumar.

Tiger has written two books, Huliya Nenapugalu and Bullet Savarai. Bullet Savarai was released on 18th Aug 2015 at Bangalore by Shri. Shankar Mahadev Bidari IPS (Retd), Shri Gopal B Hosur IPS (Retd). It was published by Sapna Book House Bangalore.

References