A day after a ruling Bharatiya Janata Celebration (BJP) lawmaker claimed that he was assaulted throughout a protest over a 45-year-old girl’s dying in an elephant assault in Karnataka’s Chikkamagaluru, police on Monday refuted his claims.
A video which was extensively circulated on social media platforms on Sunday confirmed MP Kumaraswamy narrating his ordeal, carrying a torn shirt. He claimed that the protesters ripped off his shirt, when he had gone to Mudigere taluk after the girl’s dying.
Deputy police superintendent Purushotham, nonetheless, mentioned that Kumaraswamy was escorted to his jeep and despatched residence when the protesters tried to assault him after a heated argument.
In one other video which was doing rounds on social media, Kumaraswamy is seen moving into the jeep with the police’s assist; his shirt intact whereas the villagers encompass the automobile.
HT has seen each the movies.
“The circle inspector, sub-inspector …and I had been current when the indignant villagers questioned…Kumaraswamy over his late arrival. When the villagers tried to assault him after the argument, we resorted to delicate lathi cost and safely escorted him and despatched him residence,” Purushotham mentioned.
“We knew the state of affairs was tense as villagers had been indignant with forest officers and elected representatives over the wild elephant menace. Therefore, we deployed extra police on Sunday morning.” Purushotham mentioned he has no details about Kumaraswamy’s declare of assault.
Kumaraswamy had gone to Mudigere after the 45-year-old girl engaged on her farm died after an elephant attacked. The incident triggered protests over the alleged apathy of the administration regardless of repeated such assaults.
Talking concerning the incident, Kumaraswamy maintained that the purported assault on him was deliberate and blamed the police for “misguiding” him to depart the spot. “Some individuals unfold rumours that the elephant that killed the girl belongs to me…There have been solely 10 police personnel. I instructed them I can’t transfer from the spot however they misguided me and I left.”
The lady’s cremation was held on Monday amid tight police safety.
(With inputs from Coovercolly Indresh)