Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (UM)

Udupi, Feb 20: A group of BJP activists allegedly attacked Congress activists during polling for zilla and taluk panchayat elections at Madibettu booth in Kananjar, Hiriadka here on Saturday February 20. The activists also allegedly vandalised a hotel and threatened a Congressman who recently left BJP.

Prasanna Hegde (37) of Congress, who was reportedly the target, was injured in the clashes and has been admitted to hospital.

It is learnt that Prasanna Hegde, formerly the president of Neere Kananjar gram panchayat, and who was in BJP, had demanded ticket for Vikram Hegde to contest from Neere Bailoor zilla panchayat. The BJP had first agreed, but at the last moment, the party chose Sumith Shetty, a Bajrang Dal member, over Vikram Hegde. Miffed at this, Prasanna and over 100 of his supporters quit BJP and joined Congress about 15 days ago.

After this, Prasanna was reportedly getting threat calls from BJP members. When he informed his seniors in the Congress, they reportedly did not take it seriously and assured him that no harm would be done.

On the evening of February 20, when polling had almost ended, about 15 BJP activists came to Kananjar in Bolero, Swift and Innova cars and allegedly attacked Prasanna and other Congress activists. There were about 30 Congressmen in the clashes.

Prasanna claimed that the BJP activists had come with weapons and their intention was to finish him.

The attackers also allegedly went to the house of Congressman Sachidananda Prabhu, who also recently left BJP, and threatened him. Moreover, it is alleged that when some Congress workers had gone to a hotel owned by one Narayana Kunder for tea, the attackers barged in and vandalized the hotel.

Prasanna who was admitted to the government hospital said that he could identify some of the attackers as
Krishnaraj Hegde, Mahesh Shetty, Rajesh Shetty, Sandesh and Prasad Shetty

Hiriadka police have registered a case.