Following the January 1 clashes in Ballari district that killed Congress worker Rajashekhar Reddy with a bullet from a private gun, the Karnataka government is proposing stricter firearm regulations. Opposition accuses a cover-up amid conflicting postmortem reports and leader statements.
The clashes on January 1 outside BJP MLA Gali Janardhana Reddy's residence pitted his supporters against those of Congress MLA Nara Bharat Reddy, escalating from a banner dispute to stone-pelting and firing, as detailed in initial reports. Police used lathi charges to restore order, with rumors of a fatality then unconfirmed.
Investigations now confirm Congress worker Rajashekhar Reddy's death from a privately owned gun. Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar announced confiscation of private firearms in Ballari and plans for new gun ownership rules.
Opposition leader H D Kumaraswamy accused the Congress government of shielding culprits, citing two postmortems: the first allegedly showing metal fragments to implicate Reddy, the second suppressing facts. He highlighted contradictions—the chief minister claimed firing in the air, while Shivakumar backed Bharat Reddy despite firing traced to aide Satish Reddy's gunman. No arrests of those involved occurred, only disciplinary action against Ballari's Superintendent of Police.
The incident has intensified political tensions ahead of events like the Valmiki statue unveiling.