Ballari violence: Bullet recovered from victim’s body fired from weapon of Congress MLA's gunman, say police sources

Ballari: The bullet that killed Congress worker Rajashekar Reddy was fired from the weapon of Congress MLA Bharath Reddy’s gunman, according to the police sources.

A 12mm bullet fired from a single bore weapon was found inside slain Rajashekar Reddy’s body. The bullet fired from the weapon matches with the weapon used by the gunmen of Bharath Reddy and his associate Satish Reddy, a senior police officer told DH on the condition of anonymity.

Moments after the riots on Thursday night, the forensic science experts had collected fired bullets and other related materials. The bullet lodged in the body and those collected the previous evening matched during the examination of the body to determine the cause of death. Further, the fired bullets matched with the weapons seized from the gunmen of the Bellary City MLA and his associate, the police sources confirmed.

The mobile video clips of the MLA’s gunmen opening fire in the air and towards the residence of BJP leader and Gangavathi MLA G Janardhana Reddy are doing rounds in the social media platforms.

The Brucepet police have seized five firearms of the private and government gunmen of the Congress MLA.  

Interestingly, slain Rajashekar Reddy’s brother Eshwar Reddy, in a complaint filed with Brucepet police, has alleged that his brother was shot dead by Janardhana Reddy and that he issued life threats saying “You will meet the same fate, if you dare touch me.”

B Nagendra

Bharath Reddy, speaking to reporters late Thursday night, blamed Janardhana Reddy for the Congress worker’s murder.

Meanwhile, Congress MLAs Bharath Reddy and K N Ganesh paid their last respects to Rajashekar Reddy at the latter’s residence. The mortal remains of the Congress worker were cremated at the Harishchandra Ghat on Rupanagudi Road.