Gram panchayat secretary brutally attacked by MES men for not issuing record in Marathi

BELAGAVI: The secretary of the Ambewadi gram panchayat was brutally attacked by supporters of some Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) activists for reportedly not issuing a land document (pahani) in Marathi and for not backing their illegal activities, on Monday. The injured gram panchayat secretary is currently undergoing treatment at BIMS hospital.

Panchayat development officers and secretaries staged a protest on Tuesday.

Following the incident, gram panchayat staff, including taluk panchayat development officers and secretaries, on Tuesday staged a protest in front of the DC and ZP CEO’s offices condemning the attack. They demanded strict action against the attackers. A case has been registered against Chetan Patil, Vikram Yellurkar and Shivu Jangam at the Kakati police station.

Cases have been registered against Chetan Patil (left) and Vikram Yellurkar.

The trio allegedly forced Ambewadi gram panchayat secretary Nagappa Kodali to issue a pahani in Marathi. When he did not oblige, they attacked him with weapons near Gojaga village, leaving him injured in the head, arms and legs. Chetan Patil, the district convernor of MES, is former president and current member of the Ambewadi gram panchayat, while Vikram Yellurkar is the son of the current president of the gram panchayat.

Meanwhile, in a video from his hospital bed, Nagappa Kodli he was supported by people of all languages after he was assaulted who even admitted him to the hospital. The attack should not be considered as a language issue, he noted.

Kannada groups have condemned the attack and called for the arrest of the accused and a ban on the MES for anti-Karnataka activists. Kittur Karnataka Sene state president Mahadev Talwar and others also called on the injured Nagappa at hospital on Tuesday.