Udupi : Kota-Halady supporters clash; minister’s car damaged

Udupi : Kota-Halady supporters clash; minister’s car damaged

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, Jan 2, 2013: One person has been arrested and three separate cases have been registered by the police in connection with the clash between supporters of Udupi District Minister    Kota Srinivas Poojari and former Kundapur MLA Halady Srinivas Shetty, on December 31 night.

 

 

 

 

 Meanwhile, the official car of the District Minister was damaged by miscreants on January 1, Tuesday. The front windshield of the car has been shattered. 

The person arrested Raghavendra Hosakere has been charged with damaging the minister’s minister.  The clash took place between the Minister’ Personal Assistant Raghavendra Ganiga and Rama Poojari  who happens to be a relative of Kota Srinivas Poojari, but a supporter of the former Kundapur MLA. It is learnt both Rama Poojari and Raghavendra had a previous enmity.

Earlier, on the night of December 31, one person was injured in the clashes between the supporters of the two politicians and properties damaged after Rama  Poojari and Raghavendra Ganiga had an altercation over phone. Soon Ganiga and his supporters barged into Rama Poojari’s house at Kothadi near Bannadi, attacked Rama Poojari and even abused his wife who tried to prevent them and reportedly escaped with a gold chain.

It is learnt, later supporters of Kota Poojari  hurled stones at Raghavendra’s house at Padukere and damaged the window panes and reportedly threatened his wife and snatched a gold chain.

 Two separate cases were registered in this connection. As a continuation of the clash the minister’s official Innova car which was parked at his residence was damaged on Monday might. A case has also been registered in Kota police station in this regard.

Reports say there was enmity between the two groups ever since Halady was denied a cabinet berth and Kota was made the minister. However, Halady Srinivas Shetty has  said  he had nothing to do with the incident and that his name was unnecessarily dragged. He also claimed that he came to know of the incident only through the media