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BJP worker killed by friends, party says law and order situation deteriorating
BJP worker killed in Karnataka's Kalaburagi district, second such incident in 24 hours. Police suspect old rivalries behind the crimes. BJP demands action.
A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker was allegedly killed in Karnataka’s Kalaburagi district, police said on Friday. Police said the incident took place around 11pm on Thursday in the Saganur village. Just four days ago, Girish Babu Chakra, an aide and supporter of Kalaburagi MP Umesh Jadhav, was appointed as the district BSNL Advisory Committee member.
He was lured by his friends to a farm for a celebratory gathering where the assailants threw chilli powder into his eyes and killed him with a machete, police said.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that three friends of the deceased invited him to a party to celebrate his appointment as a district BSNL Advisory Committee member. All had consumed alcohol and taking advantage of the victim’s inebriated state, they killed him using a machete. Prima facie, it seems old rivalry is the motive behind the murder. We have definite clues about the accused and have formed three teams to arrest them. They will be held by today (Friday) evening,’’ said the deputy superintendent of police (DSP) of Aland Mohammed Shariff.
The officer added that a case has been registered at Ganagapura police station and an investigation is underway.
This is the second such alleged killing of a BJP member in Kalaburagi in last 24 hours.
On Thursday morning, BJP leader Mahanthappa Siddaramappa Alure (45) was allegedly hacked to death by some assailants at Sarasamba village in Aland town who were later arrested.
Mahanthappa, a prominent figure in the village, served as the president of the Dhanalakshmi Cooperative Society and was elected as a member of the gram panchayat for three consecutive terms.
“Early on Thursday, Mahanthappa was on his way to fetch milk from the cow tied in his field when he was intercepted by four men near GESCOM office who came in a car. Without any warning, they attacked him brutally with weapons before fleeing the spot,” said the DSP.
Nearby people, who saw the alleged murder, rushed the BJP leader to Solapur hospital in Maharashtra, however, he succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment, said police. Police suspect old rivalry behind the crime.
“We are questioning the four arrested people to know more details about the murder,” the police officer stated.
Meanwhile, BJP has expressed outrage that district in-charge minister Priyank Kharge has failed to put a check on rising murder and extortion cases in the district.
“Since Priyank Kharge has become the district in-charge minister, murders and extortions in Kalaburagi have rose manyfold. In these 10 months, BJP workers and leaders are being killed one after the other. Kharge, who has handed over Kalaburagi to gangsters, is directly responsible for this,” BJP’s state unit said on X.
The opposition party has demanded that Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah immediately sack Kharge, who has undermined law and order in Kalaburagi.
