Bengaluru, 30 July 

Two men were arrested on Thursday for allegedly assaulting a government official engaged in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls near DJ Halli, police said.

The accused, Yarab, 21, and Dastagir, 22, were allegedly from Jayanagar, but were arguing with Booth Level Officers (BLOs) over the issuance of enumeration forms in DJ Halli on 29 July, according to the FIR. The BLO allegedly asked the two men to obtain the form from their own jurisdiction.

When the supervising official, tied to the Karnataka Slum Development board, intervened one of the accused allegedly punched him in the face, causing his lip to bleed. The other accused then allegedly punched him near his eyebrow and struck him on the back, causing injuries, the FIR said.

Members of the public gathered at the spot, intervened and stopped the altercation, it said.

However, BJP North President S Harish alleged that the clashes broke out because the officials refused to include “Bangladeshis and Pakistanis” in the voters’ list. 

Harish further alleged that the assailants were linked to those involved in the DJ Halli violence way back in 2020 and accused the government of failing to act against them.

“These are the same people who, during the DJ Halli incident last time, attacked the police and the police station. Yet the government does nothing against them,” he said.

He demanded Home Minister Priyank Kharge’s resignation over the incident.