BJP candidate at large after clash

Security was tightened in Bellary city on Thursday after B. Sreeramulu, the BJP candidate of the Bellary Rural constituency, allegedly assaulted a Congress worker. The Bellary police have registered an attempt-to-murder case against Sreeramulu and picked up his close friend, BJP MLC and mining magnate Janardhan Reddy, for questioning. Sreeramulu is at large.

Around 10.30 a.m., a Congress worker, identified as Nani, alleged that Sreeramulu and three others assaulted him in Gandhinagar in Bellary and registered a police complaint. Bellary superintendent of police Amrit Pal did not reveal any details except to confirm that a complaint had been registered. Sources in the Congress said Nani was a relative of Congress leader Diwakar Babu. Babu, after initially filing his nomination under the JD(S), returned into the Congress only a few days ago.

When the Bellary police went to the spot, they found Sreeramulu missing but took Janardhan Reddy to the police station for questioning. Reddy’s trip to the police station sparked off protests from BJP supporters but it did not turn violent.

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Congress candidate Anil Lad accused the BJP of trying to stir up trouble while the BJP responded by accusing the Congress of faking the incident for last-minute political mileage.

Sreeramulu was arrested once earlier in April following a complaint from Lad, who had then accused the BJP leader of attacking his house. He was let off on bail the same day.