Kempaiah's another important social welfare project in our city was establishing of the Shakthi Dhama, a centre for destitute women on Ooty Road, set up with the initiative of Parvathamma Rajkumar, wife of late Dr. Rajkumar, the Kannada matinee idol.

I would also like to allude here to three of Kempaiah’s daring acts and achievements as a Police officer. One is detection and arrest of killers of Rajiv Gandhi at Konanakunte on the outskirts of Bangalore under his guidance as DCP, Bangalore. The main accused Shivarasan committed suicide by consuming cyanide along with his accomplice Shubha. The second one was the arrest of Swami Shraddhananda who had murdered the grand - daughter of the former Mysore Dewan Sir Mirza Ismail, Shakereh Khaleeli, under the guidance of Sangliana who was then the Police Commissioner.

The third one was the arrest of the then underworld don Muthappa Rai for the first time.

Such a wonderful human being and such a distinguished Police officer has now voluntarily said goodbye to his department which he served with passion and a missionary zeal. Though he was at the fag end of his service with three years to retire, his retirement before his due time has made a large number of his admirers, among whom I am also one, very sad. But then that is life, and life goes on. Who knows a new vista, a new door, may open before him to continue his passion to serve the people and work for the common good like he did while in service.

Mark Twain wrote that, "Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that crusheth." I hope Kempaiah will, in like manner, shed the fragrance of forgiveness on all those who "crushed" him.

I salute this good Police officer and above all a good human being. May the tribe of likes of him increase.

PS:
What happened on 13th of August, 2009 between the DG & IGP Dr. Ajay Kumar Singh and Additional DG & IGP Kempaiah was an anticipated culmination of the disenchantment that was brewing up since about six months.

It appears the Chief Minister B. S. Yeddyurappa was tired of the recurring incidents of terrorism and naxalism as also the problems related to the coastal security. Karnataka has a fairly long Mangalore coastline in the west. So, he had discussed with his officials about setting up of a separate, independent unit for internal security headed by a senior Police officer with independent charge.

When this idea of setting up of the Internal Security wing was mooted, Ajay Kumar Singh opined that the new set up should not be a separate unit. Probably, he did not want a parallel authority with - in his own Police establishment.

However, after it was decided at a meeting to set up the independent Internal Security wing that will handle the Anti-Terrorist Squad, Anti-Naxal Squad and the Coastal Security, Kempaiah got a surprise telephone call from Mr. V. P. Baligar, Special Secretary to the Chief Minister, briefly telling him the reason for calling and said he would give the line to the Chief Minister.

The Chief Minister, it appears, told Kempaiah that he was fed up of the naxal menace… except three - four officers who else was there capable of taking the responsibility... etc. So he requested Kempaiah to accept the responsibility and handed over the phone back to Baligar.

Though in principle Kempaiah agreed to accept the responsibility, he thought going there as IGP would make his position, if not untenable, a bit weak. Therefore, he suggested that he be designated as DG (Director General) and posted to the new Internal Security wing. Accordingly, he was designated as Addl. DG and posted as such. Naturally this promotion and posting of Kempaiah might not have resonated well with the DGP Ajay Kumar Singh leading to the flash - point on 13th August 2009, culminating in Kempaiah’s exit.

In retrospect, Kempaiah would not have quit in a huff as it were, if only DGP Ajay Kumar Singh had not officially reported the Aug. 13th incident to the government.

A few days back when I made a courtesy telephone call to Kempaiah, his voice betrayed his feelings: "I treated Police as my religion. It was my life breath. My devotion to duty as a Police officer was total. I am deeply hurt, pained so much. As an officer I was expected to deliver and in all my postings I delivered. Naturally, I earned my promotions. Now I am leaving with a heavy heart."

I asked about the Siddharamaiah factor. "No", he said firmly. "No politics for me in service."

To my question "What next?", he said "I have not decided yet."

"Politics?" I pursued. "No I have not thought of it yet."

"Well then, how about writing a book," I suggested.

"Yes, that's a good idea. I will consider," he said and thanked me for calling him.

Concluded