Tension on Bengaluru outskirts after 2 youths killed during cricket tourney

CHIKKABALLAPUR: A tense atmosphere prevails at Dodda Belavangala in Chikkaballapur taluk after two youths were stabbed to death on the main road during a cricket tournament over a dispute about parking a car on Friday. The deceased were identified as Bharat (24) and Prateek (19). The police have made security arrangements in the vicinity on Saturday to prevent any further escalation of tensions.

Senior police officers at the grounds where the cricket tournament was organised, on Friday.

Local BJP leader Dheeraj Muniraju had organised a cricket tournament wherein some Congress supporters drove a car around in the grounds which led to an argument and the BJP supporters smashed the windscreen of the car. Angered by this, about nine Congress supporters chased the two youths up to the bus stand, hit them with sticks and bats, and stabbed them, one of them in the private parts. They then escaped in a car.

The victims Bharat and Prateek.

The two were immediately rushed to the Columbia Asia Hospital and from there, shifted to Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru to prevent any trouble. On Saturday, the post-mortem examination was conducted at Victoria Hospital. Meanwhile, the police are on the lookout for the attackers and are questioning their parents.

The main accused Vinay identifies himself with the Congress.

The main accused Vinay is the son of the former president of the Hulikunte Gram Panchayat and identifies himself with the Congress. Several photos of him with local MLA Venkataramanaiah and KPCC president D K Shivakumar have surfaced after the incident.

Municipal Administration Minister M T B Nagaraj and BJP leader Dheeraj Muniraju visited the families of the victims on Saturday.

The deceased Bharat’s mother, who witnessed the attack on her son, is in a state of shock while his Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycle was still parked at the cricket ground. The police have made strict security arrangement and a KSRP platoon has been stationed at Dodda Belavangala to prevent any untoward incident.