AKSSA President Taken into Custody After Protest in Dharwad

Kanthkumar, the president of the Akhila Karnataka State Students’ Association (AKSSA), was taken into preventive custody by police in Dharwad on May 9, 2026, following a tense confrontation. Kanthkumar had launched an indefinite protest at Gandhi Vana, demanding the immediate issuance of a recruitment notification for 56,432 government posts and calling for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into alleged irregularities within the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC). Police officials arrived at the scene and instructed him to cease the agitation, citing a court order that prohibited protests in the area. Despite warnings from Police Inspector Dayanand Shegunasi that continuing would constitute contempt of court, Kanthkumar refused to comply. He argued that the state government was likely delaying the recruitment process due to the upcoming Greater Bengaluru Authority elections. As the situation escalated, police personnel forcibly dragged Kanthkumar into a vehicle while he raised slogans alleging political targeting. The incident highlights ongoing tensions between student activists and the state administration regarding public sector employment transparency and legal restrictions on demonstrations.