The Commercial Street police have arrested 10 people in connection with the alleged assault on a Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) official during a footpath encroachment clearance drive near the Shivajinagar Bus Stand on Tuesday, July 21.
Police said the main accused, Basavaraj Pudukote, president of the State unit of Karnataka Sene, is yet to be arrested. All those arrested so far have been booked under Section 307 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with attempt to murder.
According to officials, Assistant Executive Engineer Madhav Rao was supervising an anti-encroachment operation when a group allegedly obstructed the drive, assaulted him and fled the spot.
Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said he had spoken to the Commissioner of Police and GBA officials, and asserted that everyone involved in the assault would be arrested.
"Assaulting public servants while they are implementing the directions of the Hon'ble Supreme Court is a serious violation of the law," he said, adding that the government stood firmly behind officials carrying out their duties and that the footpath clearance drive would continue without yielding to pressure, intimidation or violence.
"The government stands solidly with officers discharging public duty as per law. We are taking exemplary action against those responsible," the Minister said, adding that he was personally monitoring the follow-up with the GBA and the police.
Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar said GBA officials were carrying out the footpath clearance operation in compliance with a court order when they were allegedly obstructed and attacked.
"The officials should not have been assaulted while they were performing their official duties. Our officers rushed to the spot immediately after the incident," he said.
The Police Commissioner said the assault was captured on video, which has become a key piece of evidence in the investigation. He said efforts were underway to identify and apprehend the remaining suspects.
"We will arrest everyone who had participated in the assault. Our officers are gathering information about the background of the accused," he said.
The GBA Employees' Association condemned the attack and demanded the immediate arrest of all those responsible. In a statement, association president A Amruth Raj described the assault on Madhav Rao as unacceptable and urged the police and the Karnataka government to ensure the safety of officials carrying out their duties and take stringent action against those involved.
The Joint Committee of Street Vendors also issued a statement condemning the violence against civic authorities.
“There are deliberate attempts to blame this attack on street vendors. According to available information, the attack was carried out by people who identify with pro-Kannada organisations and the street vendors’ struggle has no connection with the attack. Putting up permanent structures is illegal, and street vendors do not do so,” the association said in its statement.
They also said that the street vendors’ groups had been in constant communication with the government in the past few weeks, to bring their demands to the attention of the government and secure their livelihoods.
“Bengaluru Minister Krishna Byre Gowda must take this incident very seriously. Legal action must be taken against all those responsible. Also, there must be an independent inquiry against those in the department who protect such groups,” the release said.