Ballari Firing: BJP Alleges Cong Worker Body Burnt Against Family Tradition To Destroy Evidence

Bengaluru: The January 1 Ballari firing incident, which claimed the life of a Congress worker, is getting murkier with each passing day. After alleging that autopsy was conducted twice on Congress worker Rajashekhar's body, former BJP Minister B Sriramulu on Tuesday hurled a fresh allegation that Rajshekhar's body was burnt against the tradition of his family and under police threat with a "sole intention to destroy evidence".

Addressing a press conference along with BJP MLA Gali Janardhan Reddy, in front of whose house firing took place on January 1 following clashes between Congress and BJP workers, Sriramulu claimed that the family members wanted to bury Rajashekhar's body owing to their tradition. But police threatened them and forced them to burn the body. "I have credible information on this. My sources have told me that the additional SP of Ballari forced the family members to burn the body. I have evidence also. I will reveal them at an appropriate time," he said.

Sriramulu displayed what he claimed were video clips of a freshly dug pit at a graveyard on the outskirts of Ballari to bury Rajashekhar's body to defend his allegations. He also displayed the pictures of the grave of Rajashekhar's father to defend his argument that dead bodies will be buried in his family's tradition.

"This is done with a sole intention to destroy evidence fearing that the body can be exhumed, if buried and autopsy can be conducted afresh in case the case is referred to the CBI probe," Sriramulu said.

He also claimed not one but many bullets pierced the body of Rajshekhar in the firing. "This shows, it is an intentional murder carried out with a sole intention to put blame on me and Janardhan Reddy and end our political career. Therefore, I demand Congress MLA Nara Bharat Reddy must be arrested. He should not be allowed to escape," he demanded.

He also demanded a CBI probe into the Ballari firing incident while expressing no confidence in the state police.

Rajashekhar died on January 1 in a firing during a clash between the supporters of Congress MLA Nara Bharat Reddy and BJP workers over putting up banners in front of the residence of BJP MLA Gali Janardhan Reddy in Ballari.

Read more

1. Ballari Violence: Post-Mortem Of Deceased Congress Worker Conducted Twice Or Thrice, Claims BJP Leader Sriramulu