Mulling handing over Ballari firing case to CID, says K’taka Home minister

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said the Ballari violence, triggered by a banner dispute between BJP and Congress supporters that left one dead, may be handed to the CID. Two private gunmen have been detained, with ballistic reports awaited

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government is mulling handing over the probe into the recent violent clashes in Ballari, in which one person was killed, to the CID, Home Minister G Parameshwara said on Sunday.

The clashes were triggered by a dispute over tying a banner near BJP MLA G Janardhana Reddy’s residence and violence broke broke out between the supporters of the BJP legislator and Congress MLA Nara Bharath Reddy on January 1. A Congress worker was killed.

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The incident involved firing, raising questions over the use of private firearms.

“I had said this before, the guns of the gunmen hired for private security have been seized. Now the ballistic expert’s report will reveal from which gun it was fired. I have told the Forensic Science Laboratory officials to give an investigation report. The process is on. The ADGP had told me that the firing didn’t happen with police gun,” Parameshwara told reporters.

Wen asked whether the case would be handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) or a special investigation team (SIT), the Home Minister said the option was under consideration.

“We are also mulling it. There are possibilities of giving the matter to the CID. I will speak to CM Siddaramaiah. If need be then we will do it,” he said.

Responding to the BJP’s announcement on taking out a march to Ballari, Parameshwara said, “It’s not a big thing to take out a march but taking action is important, which the police will do.” He said strict action would follow if the involvement of private gunmen was established.

“If it comes out that private gunmen were involved in it then we will have to take action. We have received complaints from both sides. Police will investigate whether guns or hand grenades were used,” he added.

Parameshwara also pointed to the sequence of events leading to the violence, saying there was no commotion initially.

“There was no commotion till Janardhana Reddy came to Ballari,” he claimed. “We will investigate that as well.”

Meanwhile, police have detained two private gunmen Baljit Singh and Gurucharan Singh in connection with the firing incident.