The Karnataka government has handed over four police cases linked to the violent clashes in Ballari on January 1 to the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID). The clashes, which broke out outside the residence of BJP MLA G Janardhan Reddy over the removal of a banner announcing a Valmiki community event, led to the death of a 28-year-old Congress worker, Rajashekhar Reddy, in a firing incident.
In an order issued on Friday, January 9, Karnataka Director General of Police M A Saleem directed that all cases registered at the Brucepet police station “be transferred to CID for further investigation with immediate effect.” These cases were filed based on complaints from the victim’s family members, local Congress leaders, the police and BJP MLA Janardhan Reddy.
“The Director General of Police, CID, Special Units and Economic Offences, Bengaluru, may please arrange to take up further investigation. After the completion of the investigation, a detailed report may be sent to this office,” the order said.
Reacting to the development, Home Minister G Parameshwara said on Saturday, “Let an investigation be done and let the truth come out.”
According to police, the violence unfolded in three phases over roughly six hours outside Janardhan Reddy’s house in Ballari’s Havamabhavi area.
The first confrontation occurred when Congress workers allegedly put up a banner announcing the January 3 inauguration of a Valmiki statue. The banner was reportedly removed by staff at the BJP MLA’s residence, triggering a second clash when Congress leader Sathish Reddy, an associate of Ballari Congress MLA Nara Bharath Reddy, arrived demanding it be reinstated.
As tensions escalated, videos from the scene showed Sathish Reddy’s bodyguard, Gursharan Singh, wielding a shotgun and firing. Police have since arrested Gursharan Singh and at least 35 others in connection with the violence.
The third round of clashes occurred later that night after news of the Congress worker’s death spread, prompting Congress MLA Bharath Reddy to reach the spot.
Saint Valmiki is venerated by the Valmiki Nayak Scheduled Tribe community, a significant voting bloc in Ballari, making the incident politically sensitive for both the BJP and Congress.
Rajashekhar Reddy’s younger brother filed a complaint naming BJP MLA Janardhan Reddy, former minister B Sriramulu, Somashekhar Reddy and others for allegedly instigating the violence. A separate complaint by Congress worker Chanal Shekhar mirrors these allegations. A third complaint, filed by a Ballari deputy superintendent of police, names both BJP and Congress leaders, including Janardhan Reddy, Sriramulu, Somashekhar Reddy and Congress leader Sathish Reddy.
In his own complaint, however, Janardhan Reddy has claimed he was travelling from Gangavathi when the incident broke out. He alleges that a bullet fired by a Congress functionary during the second clash was aimed at him but struck a Congress worker instead. He has accused Congress MLA Bharath Reddy, Sathish Reddy, and their supporters of attempting to storm his residence.
Five firearms belonging to the private security personnel of political leaders have been seized for forensic analysis.
In the backdrop of the clashes and the ongoing investigation, the Congress government has postponed the Valmiki statue installation ceremony that was scheduled for January 3.