BELAGAVI: In a shocking incident, the car driver of Mrunal Hebbalkar, son of Women and Child Development Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar, was brutally attacked with a knife by two assailants in broad daylight on Tuesday afternoon.
The attack occurred near Mahaveer Canteen on Club Road in the heart of the city. The victim, Basavanta Ganapati Kadolkar, a resident of Belagundi village, was stabbed multiple times and left seriously injured. Following the assault, the attackers fled the scene.
Basavanta was immediately rushed to VOTC Hospital in Belagavi where he is undergoing treatment. Doctors confirmed that he sustained four stab injuries to the chest, shoulder and thigh, and the attack appears to be a clear attempt to murder, police said.
According to reliable sources, the accused are said to be residents of Gojaga village in Belagavi taluk, which falls within Minister Hebbalkar’s constituency. Preliminary information suggests that the incident may be linked to a fallout within an alleged mining mafia network.
Sources indicate that the attackers and the injured driver were known to each other and were reportedly involved in joint business dealings, strengthening suspicions that internal disputes within illegal mining operations may have triggered the violent assault.
However, the exact motive will be confirmed only after a detailed investigation, police stated.
Senior police officers visited the spot near the residence of B. Shankaranand on Club Road, conducted a spot inspection and collected preliminary evidence. A manhunt has been launched to nab the assailants.
The incident has raised serious concerns over criminal networks operating openly in the district and the boldness of attacks even on individuals linked to a sitting cabinet minister. Police have intensified the investigation and assured strict action against those involved.