Karnataka: Ballari SP Pavan Nejjur suspended over Valmiki statue clash

Ballari SP Pavan Nejjur was suspended by the Karnataka government for failing to handle a clash during a Valmiki statue unveiling. The incident saw further violence, including a deadly clash between supporters of rival political MLAs.

Ballari SP Suspended Over Clash

The Karnataka government on Friday suspended Pavan Nejjur, IPS, Superintendent of Police, Ballari district, following a clash that broke out in the unveiling program of the Statue of Valmiki Maharishi at SP Circle. The clash, which broke out on Thursday, led to further violent incidents, including stone pelting.

According to the letter written by the Director General & Inspector General of Police, Ballari Range, Ballari, the officer did not act effectively to handle the situation and also failed to properly brief the senior officers about the ground situation. The DG&IGP has also accordingly recommended necessary action against the officer, the official order stated.

The State Government took prima facie cognisance of the matter and found the conduct of the officer in the matter in violation of Rule 3 of All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968, which establishes the foundational ethical standards of the civil servants. Consequently, the government placed Pavan Nejjur, IPS, under suspension. Further investigation in the case is, however, reported pending.

CM Orders Enquiry Into Deadly Political Clash

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, earlier in the day, said that he has asked for an enquiry into the clash outside BJP MLA G Janardhana Reddy's residence in Ballari, in which one person was killed. Speaking to the reporters, Siddaramaiah said, "I have asked for an enquiry into the case and from which gun bullet was fired and how it started. There were gunmen, and bullets were also fired in the air. A person called Rajshekar died."

A person was killed in a clash between supporters of Congress MLA Nara Bharath Reddy and Bharatiya Janata Party MLA G Janardhana Reddy outside the latter's residence in Ballari. Tensions flared when Janardhana Reddy's supporters objected to putting up banners for an upcoming event to install the Valmiki statue on January 3. What began as a verbal altercation soon escalated, and the two groups got involved in hand-to-hand combat and stone-pelting, and later firing, prompting police to lathi-charge to disperse the crowd, police said.

Opposition Blames Congress MLA

Meanwhile, the Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Council, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, blamed Nara Bharath Reddy for the violence. "The riot occurred from MLA, Bharath Reddy's side. What was the need to put up flex banners inside the compound of Janardhan Reddy's house? Was it wrong for Sriramulu to question this? Even after the police removed the flex, was there a need to put it up again? Was it necessary for Satish Reddy to place a chair, sit there, and get the flex banners put up? This is a symbol of Congress's goonda culture," he said.

"By sacrificing a life, the Congress workers have shown that a Congress goonda state will continue like this in the future as well," he added. (ANI)

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