Supporters of Union Minister K.H. Muniyappa and Congress candidate contesting from Kolar Gold Fields (SC) V. Shankar came to blows with one another on Friday in connection with campaigning in the area injuring a zilla panchayat member.
Supporters of Mr. Shankar reportedly raised slogans against Mr. Muniyappa when the latter refused to campaign in Sundarapalya and Betamangal areas of the constituency due to paucity of time. Enraged by this, Mr. Shankar and his supporters raised slogans against Mr. Muniyappa and in the process manhandled Mr. Muniyappa’s supporter, A.M. Lakshminarayana, a zilla panchayat member.
The police intervened to bring the situation under control and Mr. Muniyappa stopped campaigning in the middle and returned in a huff. The Robertsonpet police have registered separate cases based on complaints lodged by Mr. Lakshminarayana and Mr. Shankar.
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Additional police forces have been deployed in the area.
There has been animosity between the factions following denial of ticket to Mr. Muniyappa’s daughter, Roopakala, for KGF seat.
Meanwhile, a number of people led by the former Minister S.N. Krishnaiah Setty who is in the fray as an Independent from Malur constituency staged a dharna on Friday demanding action against police personnel who allegedly beat up Muniraju, one of supporters of Mr. Setty.
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The police constable, Krishnamurthy, who is presently working as the driver of the flying squad allegedly beat up Mr. Muniraju alleging that he (Muniraju) had misled the squad on the issue of food being served by a particular political party.