Belagavi police arrest BJP MLA Raju Kage and others for assaulting Congress worker

Raju Kage and others had been hiding in a jungle lodge 130 km from Pune.
Belagavi police arrest BJP MLA Raju Kage and others for assaulting Congress worker
Belagavi police arrest BJP MLA Raju Kage and others for assaulting Congress worker
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Over two weeks after Congress worker Vivek Shetty was brutally assaulted by BJP MLA Raju Kage and his family members, the Belagavi police, on Thursday, arrested Raju Kage, his daughter Trupti Kage, his brother Shivagonda Kage, Shivagonda’s wife and Raju Kage’s driver. 

The police have also arrested five other supporters of the Kage family in this regard.

According to Belagavi SP, Ravikante Gowda, the Kage family was hiding in a jungle lodge 130 km from Pune.

“So far, 10 of the 17 accused in the case have been arrested. A case of attempted murder has been filed against the Kage family members. We are questioning the suspects and it remains to be decided if they will be remanded to police or judicial custody,” the SP said.

During the course of investigation, MLA Raju Kage had said that he was not in Ugara village, where the incident occurred. However, CCTV footage accessed by Suvarna News shows that the MLA had visited a temple in the village at around 8.30 am on the very day.

Supporters and family members of BJP MLA Raju Kage from Kagawada constituency in Belagavi district allegedly attacked Vivek, after he allegedly insulted the MLA's daughter on Facebook.

While the incident occurred on January 1 at Vivek’s residence in Athani, it came to light more than a week later, after regional channels telecast CCTV footage of the attack.

In the footage, a group of people, including women, could be seen barging into Vivek's residence, carrying sticks and other implements.

The footage then showed Vivek being dragged down the stairs of the house by the assailants, who also caught Vivek's mother by the throat when she tried to intervene.

From hospital, Vivek had told mediapersons that he had sustained fractures to his leg and hand as a result of the assault, and was required to undergo surgery.

Vivek accused the MLA's nephew, Prasad Kage, and other members of the family of barging into his house and beating him up. 

Vivek added that his attackers had threatened him, saying that he was free to approach the police or hospitals, but that it would not bear any result as all of it belonged to them. 

Vivek had also written to the Belagavi police on January 16, requesting them to ensure that the members of the Kage family do not get anticipatory bail as he feared that this would put his family members in danger.

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