Namma Karnataka Sene chief arrested after violent clash with GBA officials during Bengaluru footpath clean‑up

On Tuesday evening, a routine anti‑encroachment drive organised by the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) turned into a scene straight out of a drama near the Shivajinagar BMTC bus stand. Officers, equipped with carts and tools, began clearing shop‑fronts and stalls that had spilled onto the footpath as part of the Safe Footpath Campaign.

What should have been a straightforward operation quickly devolved into chaos when a group of local residents, later identified as supporters of the Namma Karnataka Sene, charged at the officials. Chairs, helmets and even pepper‑spray were brandished, and five people – including Assistant Executive Engineer Madhav Rao – were left injured.

Police investigations pinpointed Basavaraj Padukote, the state president of the Namma Karnataka Sene, as the ringleader. Padukote, 56, has a known criminal record, the police said, and was allegedly directing the mob that assaulted the GBA team.

The Commercial Street police lodged his name as the main accused and, together with nine others, placed them in police custody. The five who were produced before the court on July 22 – Basavaraj Padukote, Raghu (28), Basavaraj (28), Parthiban (23) and Parashu Ram (27) – were remanded until July 25 for further questioning.

The remaining suspects – Shankar (52), Bharat (25), Ranjan (19), Kiran (34), Kotresh (26), Mujahid Ahmed (39) and Rangaswamy (49) – are also under investigation. Authorities said they are reviewing mobile‑phone recordings and CCTV footage to build a stronger case.

While the footpath clearing has now resumed, the incident underscores the volatile mix of civic activism, political loyalties and everyday frustrations that often flare up in Bengaluru’s bustling streets.