Ballari engineer assault sparks protests, political row

Ballari: Tensions flared in Ballari after an assistant executive engineer of the municipal corporation was allegedly assaulted during a ward-level programme on Friday, triggering protests by civic staff and sparking a political row.GM Veeresh, serving as in-charge AEE, was allegedly attacked by Congress corporator V Kuber during the ‘Salam Ballari' outreach led by MLA Nara Bharat Reddy on April 3. The incident is said to have stemmed from a dispute over delays in removing an encroachment on Infantry Road, where a temporary structure came up on a footpath.According to officials, the disagreement over the clearance timeline escalated into a heated exchange and allegedly turned physical. Veeresh was admitted to the district hospital following the incident and later filed a complaint at Brucepet police station. An FIR was registered in the evening, and police began an investigation.The assault triggered protests by municipal officers and staff, who staged a demonstration outside the corporation headquarters demanding the immediate arrest of the corporator. Protesters warned of indefinite agitation and threatened to boycott essential civic services.Municipal commissioner PS Manjunath condemned the incident, noting that the corporation is already functioning with limited staff and under considerable pressure. He said the matter would be reported to the district administration.The protest received support from BJP functionaries and corporators. MLC YM Satish criticised the incident, saying repeated such incidents were damaging the city's image, and warned of intensified protests if action is delayed.MLA Nara Bharat Reddy said he had earlier intervened to defuse a verbal altercation between the two but learnt of the alleged assault after leaving the venue. Calling the attack unacceptable, he assured a detailed inquiry and action against those found responsible.Senior district officials, including DC Nagendra Prasad K and ADC Mohammed Zuber, visited the injured officer at the hospital. The incident has drawn condemnation from various organisations, adding to pressure on authorities to ensure accountability and safeguard govt officials on duty.