Karnataka Tensions Mount: Three Cases Filed Against Protesters Disrupting Maddur Over Alleged Election Code Violation

Maddur, Karnataka
– A simmering political dispute boiled over in Maddur, Mandya district, as local police registered three separate cases against a coalition of farmers and activists. The legal action follows a fervent protest sparked by allegations of significant election code of conduct violations by prominent Congress leaders, escalating into a dramatic highway blockade and direct confrontation with law enforcement.

The genesis of this uproar traces back to a mass marriage ceremony organized by the former Chief Minister S.M.

Krishna's Charitable Trust. During this event, Congress leader G. Madegowda was reportedly seen distributing 'mangalasutra' (thali) and other items to couples, with Maddur MLA K.M. Udesh also present. These actions were swiftly deemed by critics as a blatant disregard for the ongoing election code of conduct, designed to ensure free and fair elections.

Incensed by these alleged transgressions, members of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, Dalit Sangarsh Samiti, and several other activist organizations converged.

Their outrage propelled them to gather near the Maddur police station, where they vociferously chanted slogans denouncing both the implicated political figures and the police, whom they accused of inaction. The demonstration reached a crescendo as protesters boldly blocked the crucial Bengaluru-Mysuru Highway for over an hour, bringing traffic to a standstill and causing widespread disruption.

The situation intensified when the demonstration turned confrontational.

Police personnel, including Maddur PSI K.P. Praveen Kumar and Sub-Inspector R. Mallikarjun, reportedly faced attempts of assault while attempting to manage the agitated crowd. This direct challenge to law enforcement prompted a swift and decisive response from the authorities.

In the aftermath, the police initiated three distinct cases against the protesters.

The first case, filed based on a complaint from SI R. Mallikarjun, targets 20-25 named and unnamed individuals under serious sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from duty), 341 (wrongful restraint), and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of peace).

A second case, arising from PSI K.P.

Praveen Kumar’s complaint, also names 20-25 individuals under IPC sections 143, 147, 341, and 504. Furthermore, a third case has been registered against 25-30 named and unnamed individuals specifically for blocking the Bengaluru-Mysuru Highway, invoking sections 143, 147, 341, 504, and 283 (danger or obstruction in a public way or line of navigation).

Key figures from the protest movement, including K. Boramma, S.C. Madappa, K.R. Ravikumar, Somashekar, S.K. Lingaraj, and K.S. Chandrashekar, are among those implicated in these cases.

This development underscores the escalating tensions in Karnataka's political landscape, where allegations of electoral misconduct are met with forceful public protests and subsequent legal repercussions.

The events in Maddur serve as a stark reminder of the volatile interplay between political campaigning, citizen dissent, and the enforcement of law during election periods.