Ballari: Tension escalated into violence outside former minister and BJP leader G. Janardhana Reddy’s residence in Ballari after a dispute broke out over the installation of a banner linked to the Valmiki statue unveiling programme scheduled for January 3, reports said. The clash, involving BJP and Congress workers, allegedly led to stone-pelting, injuries, and a police lathi-charge to disperse the crowd as the situation turned volatile in the area near Reddy’s house.
According to accounts circulating from the spot, a group was putting up a banner near the residence when opposing workers objected, triggering heated arguments that quickly turned into pushing and shoving. Visuals and eyewitness versions suggest stones were thrown during the chaos, with police personnel also reportedly coming under attack. Police presence was subsequently increased and officers resorted to a lathi-charge to bring the crowd under control.
A major flashpoint in the incident is the claim of “air firing” during the clash. Reports mention that firing was allegedly carried out by a private gunman linked to Satish Reddy, described in the coverage as an aide/associate of Congress MLA Nara Bharath Reddy. At the same time, versions from the ground also indicated that police fired in the air to control the situation as the crowd swelled and tempers flared. Officials have not publicly confirmed, in these accounts, whose weapon discharged the fatal shot (if any), how many rounds were fired, and whether it was misfire or intentional firing—these details are expected to be established through investigation.
Janardhana Reddy, as per the reports, arrived at the spot amid the commotion and was seen showing a bullet and alleging that the firing occurred when he got down from his vehicle. He claimed the incident was pre-planned and alleged an attempt to harm him, while asserting that the presence of private gunmen and weapons in the open was unlawful. On the other side, counter-claims were also aired that the banner installation was connected to the Valmiki programme and that objections by the rival group triggered the violence.
Former minister B. Sriramulu also reached the area during the incident, and in a reported interaction, he said the clash began over a banner put up on the approach road near Reddy’s house despite earlier objections. He further claimed that certain individuals arrived with “private security” and that shots were fired in the air, adding that the matter should not be allowed to spiral into a law-and-order crisis and must be handled through dialogue and policing.
As the clash intensified, police officials including senior officers were reported to have reached the spot for supervision. Later, authorities imposed Section 144 in the vicinity—reports said the prohibitory order covered around 200 metres around the incident location—banning unlawful assembly and asking people to disperse to prevent further violence.
A further, highly serious claim emerged in the live updates: one Congress worker was reported dead due to gunshot injury, though the same reports noted that it was not yet confirmed whether the fatal shot came from a private firearm, police firing, or another source. Police are expected to rely on CCTV/phone videos, forensic examination of cartridges/bullets, weapon licensing checks, and witness statements to establish the sequence of events.
The incident has sharply raised questions on crowd control, political mobilisation around public events, and the alleged presence of private armed personnel, with both sides trading accusations. Police have registered/initiated action as per procedure (as indicated in the reports), and further updates are awaited on arrests, case sections, and official confirmation of casualties and the source of firing.
ಇದನ್ನೂ ಓದಿ: ಬಳ್ಳಾರಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಬ್ಯಾನರ್ ಗಲಾಟೆ ‘ಫೈರಿಂಗ್’ ತನಕ: ಜನಾರ್ಧನ ರೆಡ್ಡಿ ಮನೆ ಮುಂದೆ ಕಲ್ಲುತೂರಾಟ, ಲಾಠಿಚಾರ್ಜ್, 144 ಜಾರಿ
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