A tense situation erupted in Ballari district, sending shockwaves through Karnataka politics, following an alleged attempt to murder former minister and Gangavathi MLA Gali Janardhan Reddy.
The incident, which took place on Thursday night near his residence in the Havambhavi area of Ballari city, triggered high tension in the locality.
According to police and local sources, a statue of Maharshi Valmiki is scheduled to be installed at the Ballari SP Circle on the 3rd of this month, for which flex banners are being put up across the city.
As part of this activity, Satish Reddy, a close aide of Ballari city MLA Bharat Reddy, attempted to install a flex banner on the compound wall of Gali Janardhan Reddy’s house on Thursday evening.
However, Reddy’s supporters objected, stating that flex banners should not be put up on a private compound wall and suggested installing it outside instead.
Satish Reddy allegedly ignored the request, brought a chair, sat in front of the house, and insisted on tying the flex there, leading to a heated argument.
The situation worsened when Gali Janardhan Reddy arrived at his Ballari residence from Gangavathi.
What began as a verbal altercation soon escalated into a physical clash between the two groups, eventually resulting in stone-pelting. Several people were injured in the violence.
To control the situation, gunmen from both sides reportedly fired shots into the air.
During the chaos, Satish Reddy allegedly snatched a gun from one of the gunmen and fired two rounds towards Gali Janardhan Reddy, according to police officials.
However, Janardhan Reddy escaped unharmed due to his alert response, narrowly avoiding a major tragedy.
The incident has heightened tension in the area, and police have stepped up security while continuing their investigation into the attempted attack.
