Police refute MLA’s assault claim in Chikkamagaluru

Deputy police superintendent Purushotham, however, said that Kumaraswamy was escorted to his jeep and sent home when the protesters tried to assault him after a heated argument.

A day after a ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmaker claimed that he was assaulted during a protest over a 45-year-old woman’s death in an elephant attack in Karnataka’s Chikkamagaluru, police on Monday refuted his claims.

A video which was widely circulated on social media platforms on Sunday showed MP Kumaraswamy narrating his ordeal, wearing a torn shirt

A video which was widely circulated on social media platforms on Sunday showed MP Kumaraswamy narrating his ordeal, wearing a torn shirt. He claimed that the protesters ripped off his shirt, when he had gone to Mudigere taluk after the woman’s death.

Deputy police superintendent Purushotham, however, said that Kumaraswamy was escorted to his jeep and sent home when the protesters tried to assault him after a heated argument.

In another video which was doing rounds on social media, Kumaraswamy is seen getting into the jeep with the police’s help; his shirt intact while the villagers surround the vehicle.

HT has seen both the videos.

“The circle inspector, sub-inspector ...and I were present when the angry villagers questioned...Kumaraswamy over his late arrival. When the villagers tried to assault him after the argument, we resorted to mild lathi charge and safely escorted him and sent him home,” Purushotham said.

“We knew the situation was tense as villagers were angry with forest officials and elected representatives over the wild elephant menace. Hence, we deployed more police on Sunday morning.” Purushotham said he has no information about Kumaraswamy’s claim of assault.

Kumaraswamy had gone to Mudigere after the 45-year-old woman working on her farm died after an elephant attacked. The incident triggered protests over the alleged apathy of the administration despite repeated such attacks.

Speaking about the incident, Kumaraswamy maintained that the purported attack on him was planned and blamed the police for “misguiding” him to leave the spot. “Some people spread rumours that the elephant that killed the woman belongs to me...There were only 10 police personnel. I told them I will not move from the spot but they misguided me and I left.”

The woman’s cremation was held on Monday amid tight police security.

(With inputs from Coovercolly Indresh)