“It will be a friendly fight.” These were the words spoken by JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda in early August, right before the urban local body polls were held across Karnataka. However, on Monday, several clashes were witnessed between Congress and JD(S) workers after the results of the urban local body polls were announced.
In ward number 19 in Koppal Town limits, a 30-year-old man allegedly stabbed a 70-year-old woman as her sons supported the JD(S) candidate instead of the Congress. According to Koppal Town Police, Zubair Hussain, Haji Hussain, Nizamuddin Hussain and Gous Husain entered the home of 70-year-old Rehmath and allegedly stabbed her in the stomach twice as her sons were JD(S) sympathisers.
“They are all relatives. In ward number 19, the JD(S) candidate Syed Aisha Rubina won the urban local body elections. Since Rehmath’s relatives are Congress sympathisers, they were angered by the fact that her sons were supporting the JD(S) candidate,” the police said.
Investigators say that Nizamuddin Hussain, the prime suspect in the case along with Zubair and Gous have absconded after the incident. However, the police arrested Haji on Monday afternoon in connection with the crime.
“Nizamuddin is a Congress party worker. We are searching for him and the other accused. A case of attempted murder has been registered against the four accused,” the police said.
Meanwhile in Tumakuru City, unidentified persons threw chemicals on several Congress workers, who have sustained mild burn injuries. According to the Tumakuru Town Police, in ward number 16, Congress party workers and followers of the winning candidate Inayatullah were celebrating on Monday afternoon when the incident occurred.
“Around 50-60 people were dancing and celebrating when a few unidentified persons entered the crowd and threw some sort of liquid containing harmful chemicals on their faces. Around 10 of them were injured and taken to the government hospital. We don’t know if it was acid yet. The injuries were thankfully minor. We are yet to register an FIR. It will be done once all the statements of the victims are recorded,” the Tumakuru Town Police said.
In Mysuru’s Shantinagar, four SDPI workers were allegedly attacked for working against the Congress party in the urban local body elections. SDPI worker Pasha and three of his friends were attacked on Monday afternoon, soon after the results were announced.
“Pasha’s face was slashed with a knife and the others sustained minor injuries. We believe that followers of Congress candidate Ayaz Pasha attacked the four men,” the Udaygiri Police said.
A case of assault has been registered at the Udayagiri Police Station.
In Tumakuru Municipal Corporation polls, BJP won 12 seats, the Congress and JD(S) won 10 seats each. In Mysuru Municipal Corporation, the BJP won 22 seats, while the Congress and JD(S) won 19 and 18 seats respectively.