Namma Karnataka Sene chief arrested for assault on govt officials during anti-encroachment drive
Bengaluru, July 22 (IANS) Basavaraj Padukote, State President of Namma Karnataka Sene, has been arrested in connection with the alleged assault on government officials during an anti-encroachment drive conducted under the SafeFootpath Campaign in Shivajinagar in Bengaluru, police said on Wednesday.
According to Bengaluru Police, Padukote, the prime accused in the case, allegedly led the attack on officials who were carrying out their duties to clear illegal encroachments. Police officials said he has a criminal background and had allegedly gone into hiding after the incident by switching off his mobile phone.
With Padukote’s arrest, the total number of persons arrested in the case has risen to 11. Earlier, police had taken 10 accused into custody, including Padukote’s son, Raghu.
A case has been registered at the Commercial Street Police Station under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, including Sections 109(1), 132, 74, 351(2), 352, 190, and 121(1).
Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda lauded the swift action taken by the city police. In a post on X, he said, “The main accused in the incident of assault on GBA officers in Shivajinagar, Basavaraj Padukote, has been arrested within 10 hours. He had switched off his phone and gone into hiding, but the police formed multiple teams, tracked him down, and arrested him while he was attempting to escape.”
He added, “My sincere thanks to the Bengaluru City Police for their swift and determined action.”
Meanwhile, investigators are examining Padukote’s rise in Shivajinagar and the sources of his income. According to police, preliminary findings suggest that he projected himself as a social activist while building influence in the locality through Kannada organisations.
Police suspect that Padukote organised Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations under the banner of Kannada associations and allegedly collected weekly extortion money (“hafta”) from shopkeepers operating on footpaths in Shivajinagar. Investigators believe the funds were used to strengthen his local network and cultivate a larger-than-life public image.
Padukote was also known for frequently posing for photographs with celebrities and portraying himself as a prominent public figure. Authorities are now probing the extent of his alleged activities and possible links to other offences.
Police said the investigation is ongoing and further arrests or charges may follow based on the findings.
On Tuesday, the civic authorities conducting a footpath encroachment clearance drive in Bengaluru’s Shivajinagar locality were allegedly attacked with pepper spray and helmets, triggering tension in the communally sensitive area and prompting heavy police deployment.
Reacting to the development, Minister Krishna Byre Gowda condemned the alleged attack on civic authorities, describing the perpetrators as “rowdies” and asserting that every person involved would be arrested.
The incident occurred near the Shivajinagar bus terminal during an anti-encroachment operation undertaken by the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA). Officials alleged that a group of individuals obstructed the drive, assaulted civic staff, and used pepper spray against personnel engaged in the operation.
–IANS
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