The Hindu : Karnataka News : Senior police official calls on injured BJP workers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 14, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

Senior police official calls on injured BJP workers

By Our Staff Reporter

KOLAR, APRIL 13. The Inspector General of Police (Central Range), K.V.R. Tagore, on Tuesday paid a sudden visit to the Srinivasapura Assembly Constituency, which has witnessed several clashes between the supporters of the former Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and Congress candidate for the constituency, K.R. Ramesh Kumar, and those of the BJP candidate and former MLA, G.K. Venkatshiva Reddy, to get a firsthand account of the situation.

Mr. Tagore visited the government hospital in the town and spoke to a few BJP workers, including Muslims, who were injured when they were allegedly attacked by Congress workers at Avaladoddi-Lakshmpura on Monday night. Some of the seriously injured workers have been shifted to the Kolar government hospital.

The constituency saw the first major clash between the supporters of the two political heavyweights on March 31 when Mr. Kumar and Mr. Reddy filed their nomination papers. Krishnamurthy, the advocate brother of Mr. Kumar, sustained injuries when his car was allegedly damaged by supporters of Mr. Reddy.

This was followed by two other clashes, including the one at Avaladoddi, forcing the IGP to pay a visit to the town.

Mr. Tagore, who held discussions with senior police officials of the district at Srinivasapur, told The Hindu that the Deputy Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police had advised Mr. Kumar as well as Mr. Reddy to maintain utmost restrain in their campaign and cooperate with the authorities for the smooth conduct of elections.

Mr. Tagore said that after 1996, this was the first time that such clashes were occurring. They should not be allowed to snowball into violence. Communal violence erupted in 1996 over mango business, which led to the uprooting of hundreds of mango trees, resulting in the impoverishment of both the communities.

Mr. Reddy, who was present at the hospital, alleged that Mr. Kumar, who joined the Congress recently, was intolerant of his support base among people, including Muslims. He demanded that the police give protection to his supporters.

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