Bengaluru GBA Footpath Drive Attack: 10 Pro-Kannada Activists Arrested For Assaulting Officials In Shivajinagar | Video

Bengaluru: The Commercial Street police have arrested 10 persons belonging to a pro-Kannada organisation for beating up the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) officials, including Engineer and an assistant Engineer during the GBA's footpath encroachment clearance drive at Shivajinagar.

The arrested have been identified as Basavaraj Padukote, a local pro-Kannada organisation head, his associates Kiran, Basavaraj, Ranjith, Rangaswamy, Mujahid Ahamed, Kotresh, Parashuram, Raghu, Parthiban and Bharath.

It was revealed that the GBA had cleared a hotel belonging to Basavaraj Padukote, which he had constructed encroaching the entire footpath and used Bowring hospital compound as back wall. He tried to argue that the GBA tried to demolish the Kannada flag and a Ganesha temple. However, the police arrested him.

For the last fortnight, the GBA officials have taken up footpath encroachment clearance drives all over the city to ensure safety of the pedestrians. For the last six days, the encroachment clearance was taking place near Shivajinagar. After completing the Russel Market area, the officials had taken up the main Shivajinagar bus stop area. When the GBA team comprising Engineers Madhava Rao, Savithri, Assistant Engineer Ruchita and earth mover driver Siddappa started clearance work near the bus stand, the gang suddenly attacked the team with pepper spray. When Engineer Madhava Rao and the tractor driver Sunil tried to escape, the gang started assaulting them with helmets, chairs and dragged them to the road.

The GBA officials called for the police help, but neither the police, nor the GBA Marshals who were posted in the area came for their rescue. Some of the passersby rescued the officials from the attackers and sent them away.

Later, GBA  Commissioner Maheshwara Rao lodged a complaint with the Commercial Street police.

Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda and Shivajinagar MLA Rizwan Arshad rushed to the spot and directed the police to initiate strict action against those obstructing the footpath encroachment removal drive. Krishna Byre Gowda said that the Goonda Act  would be invoked against Padukote and his gang.