Karnataka: Sri Ram Sene leader injured in firing, police arrest three men

A leader of Hindutva organisation Sri Ram Sene was injured in a firing in Karnataka’s Belagavi district on Saturday, The Indian Express reported.

The Hindutva leader, Ravi Kokitkar, was attacked by three persons at the Hindalga village in Belagavi, the police said. A man driving his car, Manoj Desurkar, was also injured. A bullet reportedly brushed Kokitkar’s chin, while Desurkar suffered a bullet wound on his hand.

Kokitkar is the Belagavi president of the Sri Ram Sene.

Both of them have been admitted to a private hospital and are out of danger, the police said.

Belagavi Police Commissioner MB Boralingaiah told reporters on Sunday that three persons – Abhijit Bhatkhande, Rahul Kodachwad and Jyotiba Mutagekar – have been arrested in connection with the the firing. He said that the three persons have admitted to the crime, according to PTI.

The police commissioner said that Bhatkhande fired at Kokitkar and Desurkar. The police have seized the firearm, which they said was not licenced.

Boralingaiah said that the Sri Ram Sene leader and the accused men were involved in a real estate dispute. In 2020, Bhatkhande had filed a police case accusing Kokitkar of attempting to murder him, the police chief said.

Sri Rama Sene chief Pramod Muthalik said that members of his outfit stand for Hindutva and will not be cowed down by such attacks, according to PTI. He urged the police to punish the assailants and said that close-circuit television footage of the incident is likely to be available as it took place near the Hindalga prison.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that the government has told the police to take the incident seriously. He added that violence is not the solution to any difference of opinion.

The chief minister said that the administration will bear the medical expenses of the injured person.