Padarayanapura incident an act of "goondaism": Karnataka CM; directs strict action

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Monday termed the ruckus at Padrayanapure here when officials had gone to shift secondary contacts to quarantine facility as an act of goondaism, and directed police to take stringent action against those taking law into their hands.

"Yesterday''s incident at Padarayanapura, is an act of goondaism against police, health and BBMP (civic body) officials. They have destroyed the barricades erected there and chairs used by government staff there," Yediyurappa said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, he had discussed the incident last night itself, and Home Minister and Police officials are taking all measures to maintain law and order. "Caring for whose health, our officials had gone there, without understanding it indulging in goondaism cannot be tolerated," he added.

Tension had prevailed at Padarayanapura late on Sunday as some secondary contacts of COVID-19 patients along with a few locals tried to remove barricades and argued with officials who had come to shift them to a quarantine facility.

Officials had gone with a list of 58 people who are secondary contacts to be sent to quarantine facility. There are also reports of alleged attack on health care and police personnel during the incident. Padarayanapura has been sealed to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. Stating that about 54 people have been arrested in connection with the incident, the Chief Minister said, according to Home Minister four more people will be arrested.

"I have issued directions to take all necessary stringent action within the framework of law. The Home Minister and senior officials are at it," he said, adding that such incidents had not happened in the past, such goonda act of taking law into hand cannot be tolerated, strict measures will be taken so that such incident don''t repeat.

Responding to a question, the Chief Minister said whoever has committed mistake will be punished, there was no question of Hindu, Muslim or Christian in it. "An act of taking law into hands will not be tolerated, this message has to go to people across the state. In this view strict measures will be taken," he said.

Hitting out at Congress MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan for his statement as to why the health workers and police officials went to the area late in the night and not in the morning, Yediyurappa termed it as "height of irresponsibility".

"Who is he? What does he have do? Does government has to take approval from him for the measures it takes and its functioning...it looks like he is supporting and instigating such activities, what does he mean?" the Chief Minister asked.

A person who had to seek strict action, if he is giving such statements, it is height of irresponsibility, he added.

Though he condemned the incident, Khan had tried to defend the attackers stating they were uneducated labourers who didn''t know what they were doing.