Banner dispute turns deadly in Karnataka; 1 Congress worker killed
What's the story
A banner dispute in Karnataka's Ballari turned deadly on Thursday, leaving one dead. The clash was between supporters of mining baron and BJP MLA Gali Janardhana Reddy and Congress MLA Nara Bharath Reddy. The deceased has been identified as Rajashekar, a supporter of Congress MLA Bharath. A case has since been registered against 11 people, including Janardhana.
Conflict escalation
Dispute over Valmiki Jayanti celebration escalates
Per police, the dispute started over the installation of banners outside Janardhana's residence. Congress workers had planned to install banners to mark Valmiki Jayanti on January 3 but were opposed by supporters of Janardhana. The disagreement soon turned violent with stone-pelting and allegations of gunfire from private gunmen. Police resorted to lathi charge and fired rounds to control the situation, but it is unclear who fired the fatal shot that left Rajashekar injured.
Aftermath
Accusations and investigations follow violent clash
After the incident, Congress MLA Bharath Reddy accused Janardhana's supporters of instigating the violence and demanded their arrest. He alleged that there have been attempts to disrupt Valmiki Jayanti celebrations for a long time. Meanwhile, Janardhana accused Bharath and his father Suryanarayana Reddy of orchestrating an attack on him under the pretext of a banner dispute. "They staged this assault with the sole intention of finishing me off," he said.
Security measures
Police impose prohibitory orders, investigations underway
He further claimed that when he was getting out of his vehicle after returning from Gangavathi, gunmen opened four rounds of fire. "I have shown the bullet casings recovered from the spot as proof," he said. In the wake of the violence, police imposed prohibitory orders in Ballari as a precautionary measure. Additional police forces were deployed to prevent any further incidents.