BALLARI: Two people were arrested for attempting to attack newly elected Ballari Rural MLA B Nagendra of the Congress during his victory procession in Ballari. The incident allegedly took place on May 13, the day the results of the Karnataka Assembly elections were declared.
After the video went viral on social media, Nagendra’s supporters and senior Congress leaders condemned the incident and requested the police to provide more security to all the newly elected Congress MLAs.
Fifty-two-year-old Nagendra defeated senior BJP leader B Sriramulu by nearly 29,000 votes in the recent polls.
Informed sources told TNIE that when the procession entered Ballari city, four people — Venkatesh Ramanjeneyalu (27), Ramesh K (31), Ramya (30) and Hanumesh (29) — tried to attack Nagendra.
However, Nagendra’s bodyguards immediately caught Ramya and Venkatesh (who were in possession of a lethal weapon) and handed them over to the police. Ramesh and Hanumesh are absconding. The Cowl Bazar police have registered a case.
Confirming the incident, the police said Venkatesh also warned the crowd. “He was yelling at the MLA’s supporters saying they are supporters of BJP leaders. Immediately, the MLAs gunman and other bodyguards hit them. Of the four, two were arrested on the spot and the weapon was also seized. Search is on to nab the other two accused,” the police added. Meanwhile, Congress leaders staged a protest demanding that the absconding duo be arrested immediately.