BENGALURU: The Commercial Street police investigating the attack incident on five Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) officials, including two women officers, during an footpath encroachment clearance drive in Shivajinagar, have arrested two more persons, including a rowdy sheeter. With this, the total arrest in the case has gone up to 12. Of the 12 accused, the police have taken the custody of five till Saturday.
The rowdy-sheeter has been identified as 56-year-old Basavaraj Padukote of Whitefield. Padukote, who is the main accused in the case, claims to be the president of a pro- Kannada organisation. He had formed the group to carry out the attack on the officials, the police said.
Along with him, the police arrested Shankar (52) from Shivajinagar. The 10 accused who were arrested within sometime after the complaint was filed are H Bharath (24), B Basavaraj (28) and T Parashuram (27), all residents of Siddapura, B Raghu (28) of Whitefield, N Ranjan (19) of Hongasandra, A Mujaid Mohammed (39), and S Parthiban alias Pampan (23), both residents of Shivajinagar, R Rangaswamy (49) of Jakkur Layout, H Kottresh (24) of Uppinakere in Mandya, and Kiran S Nayaka (34) of Chamarajpet.
The police have taken the custody of Padukote, Raghu, Parashuram from Whitefield, Basavaraj from Jewargi taluk in Kalaburagi district, and Parthiban alias Pampan of Shivajinagar. The remaining seven accused have been remanded in judicial custody.
The complaint was filed by Madhav Rao (40), a GBA officials, at 1.30pm on Tuesday.
According to the complaint, the incident happened between noon and 12.30pm beside the Shivajinagar bus stand near Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Medical College and Research Institute. Rao, in his complaint, has stated that along with him, three other GBA officers identified as Savithri, Ruchita and Siddappa, sustained injuries.
Meanwhile, the east division police have posted a video on their social media where the accused are seen seeking apologies by saying that they will never repeat the act and they should not have taken law into their hands.
The Commercial Street police have registered a case of attempt to murder (BNS 109), assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty (BNS 132), assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty (BNS 74), criminal intimidation (BNS 351(2)), intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace (BNS 352), unlawful assembly (BNS 190) and causing grievous hurt to deter public servant from his duty.
GBA STAFF FORUM WANTS POLICE COVER DURING ENFORCEMENT DRIVES
The Greater Bengaluru Authority Municipal Officers and Employees’ Welfare Association has written to GBA Chief Commissioner M Maheswar Rao, urging him to ensure adequate police protection for civic officials during footpath encroachment clearance drives and other enforcement operations. In a letter dated July 21, association president A Amruth Raj lauded Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda and Rao for standing by employees following the recent attack on civic staff. Raj also expressed concern over the absence of marshals during the encroachment clearance drive.