From crematoriums to BBMP offices, former BPCL CFO Shivakumar tells the harrowing story of a corrupt system.

"Don't the policemen have families of their own? Don't they have any compassion to demand money from someone who is already in shock?" wrote 64-year-old Shivakumar.

Shivakumar K., former chief financial officer of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited in Bengaluru, shared a deeply emotional post on LinkedIn on Tuesday, recounting his harrowing experience battling Bengaluru's corrupt system after the death of his only daughter. His daughter, Akshaya Shivakumar (34), died of a brain hemorrhage on September 18, 2025, but amid this profound grief, the family faced bribery and inhumanity at every step.

 

Shivkumar wrote, "After my daughter's death, I had to pay everywhere. The ambulance driver demanded 3,000 rupees to transport her from one hospital to another. The police were extremely rude, especially the inspector, who initially refused to allow a post-mortem. Then, after my former employer intervened, the post-mortem was conducted and the body was handed over for cremation."

 

"Even at the crematorium, we were asked for money, and we paid."

He wrote, "but the bribery didn't end there. Even at the crematorium, we were asked for money, and we paid. Later, when I went to collect the FIR and post-mortem report, the police openly demanded cash. There were no CCTV cameras there. The sub-inspector politely signed the documents and then sent them to his assistant, where the bribe was demanded."

Bribery even in obtaining death certificates.

Shivakumar further explained that he had to visit the BBMP office daily for five days to obtain a death certificate, but no official was present in the caste survey. Finally, with the help of a senior official, he obtained the certificate, but at a higher fee than the official fee. He questioned, "If someone like me has to endure this, what will happen to the poor?"

"Don't policemen have families of their own?"

Shivakumar, 64, wrote. "Don't policemen have families of their own? Don't they have any compassion to demand money from someone who is already in shock?" He further questioned whether Narayana Murthy, Azim Premji, and such billionaires can save this city from chaos. His post has sparked a heated debate on the problem of systemic corruption in the city.

 

It is worth noting that after Shivakumar's post, Bengaluru Police took prompt action and suspended a PSI and a constable of Bellandur police station.