Over 1,000 Cong ticket aspirants in 224 seats; Siddu, Param finalizing candidates

Bengaluru, Apr 20: Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Monday came down heavily on Congress legislator BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan over the Padarayanapura vandalism that saw a mob run amok against efforts to quarantine suspected COVID-19 persons late on Sunday evening. 

Khan, who represents the Chamarajpet constituency where Padarayanapura is located, said that authorities should have gone to the area during day time.

“Who is he to say that? What does he have to do with this? Why should we ask him? Should we get his permission to carry out government work? Instead of saying that action should be taken, he is speaking like this. Should we then think that he incited the mob? This is the height of being irresponsible,” Yediyurappa said. 

Following the violence, the police have arrested 54 persons and “five more will be arrested,” Yediyurappa said.

Khan clarified that he did not defend those who indulged in vandalism. “I condemn the incident and action should be taken. I’m not saying officials shouldn’t have gone. My point is that they should’ve gone during the day and by creating awareness beforehand that people need to be quarantined,” he said, adding that the BBMP had identified 57 people to be quarantined in Padarayanapura. 

“People in this area are poor, uneducated and are mostly coolie workers and daily wagers. But whatever happened was wrong,” Khan said. He also pointed out that he was the one who arranged for 80 people to be quarantined in Tipu Nagar. 

Yediyurappa said the Padarayanapura incident was unprecedented. “In the entire state, never had such incidents taken place. Everybody agrees this is unacceptable,” the CM said. “Whoever breaks the law - Hindu, Muslim, Christian or anyone - should face action,” he said.

Hassan, Jul 16: In fresh incident of cast killing, a Dalit youth in Alur taluk of Hassan district was shot dead yesterday by the relatives of the girl with whom he was in love. 

The deceased identified as Madhu, a 30-year-old resident of Soppinahalli village. He had taken a 25-year-old girl with him and was planning to marry her after taking her family into confidence.  

The relatives of the girl, who belong to upper caste, claimed that Madhu had kidnapped the daughter of one Ramesh of the same village. The girl's uncle Rupesh had waylaid Madhu when he was on the way to the field and shot at him. 

The body of the deceased as been shifted to a mortuary. The accused Rupesh has gone absconding. Sources said that the family of Ramesh has strongly opposed the inter-caste marriage.