Vendors throw cow dung at corporator's husband, son

Tension prevailed near the Kalasipalya market in central Bengaluru on Wednesday morning when some vendors allegedly threw cow dung at the husband and son of a corporator.

Following the incident, the corporator and vendors staged protests.

Dhanraj, the husband of Dharmaraya Swamy Temple Ward corporator Prathiba, told news reporters that the market was locked down over violations of social-distancing rules. But due to some lobbying, it is allowed to function on the main road only during the morning time.

In a police complaint he said, he had learnt that social distance was not maintained at the market and that a few people were collecting Rs 300 to Rs 500 from the vendors. He had also complained about it to the BBMP commissioner and deputy commissioner of police.

On Wednesday, the BBMP joint commissioner S G Raveendra and other officers were scheduled to visit the market. When he arrived at the market with his son before his wife, as she had asked him to do so, some vendors and a few politically motivated people got into an argument with him for questioning them about extortion of money and threw cow dung at him and his son.

Following the incident, BJP workers along with Dhanraj staged a protest. In return, the vendors also staged a protest and alleged that Dhanraj's men were collecting hafta from them and that Dhanraj insists them to take a loan from him.

"We immediately sent away both the parties from there as the lockdown is in place. We have recovered complaint and further necessary action will be taken," An investigating officer from Kalasipalya police station.