Bengaluru, 29 June

After Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa was sent to Bengaluru Central Prison on 22 June, his hundreds of fans have been turning up outside the jail daily to show their unwavering support to their beloved star.

The fans, with a mix of ages and genders, usually turn up at Parappana Agrahara Central Prison by around 10am. Coming from different parts of Karnataka, they hold placards and raise slogans in support of the actor. Despite the scorching sun, they would stand resolutely. Many wore T-shirts bearing Darshan’s image, while some held handmade banners proclaiming their faith in his innocence.

Around noon, police come and start dispersing the crowd. When police warn the fans of facing stern action, they started leaving the premises; but a few dozen linger at a distance.

Every time, there is a hearing in a court, Darshan’s die-hard fans throng the premises, Ramamurthy S, a tea stall owner in the vicinity, told Salar News. “The fans block the road, but it is a good time for people like me. They buy a lot of tea and snacks and some people even stay here till night and have dinner and go. It’s like a mini-festival out here,” Ramamurthy said.

One of the fans, P Ravi Gowda, a college student from Mysuru, said, “Darshan sir has always been our hero, not just on screen but in real life. We are here to let him know that he is not alone in this fight.” Another fan, Lakshmi S, who had travelled from Tumakuru, said, “We believe in him, and we will wait as long as it takes.”

Darshan is currently under judicial custody facing charges in the murder of his fan Renukaswamy.  -Salar News