Tension gripped Karnataka’s Ballari district on Thursday evening after a violent confrontation broke out between supporters of the Congress and the Kalyana Rajya Pragathi Paksha (KRPP), resulting in the death of a young Congress worker. The incident has sparked political blame games and forced authorities to deploy additional security forces to prevent further unrest.

According to officials, the violence erupted in the Avambhavi area when Congress supporters linked to Ballari City MLA Nara Bharath Reddy attempted to install banners near the residence of KRPP MLA Janardhana Reddy. The banners were reportedly being put up ahead of a Valmiki statue unveiling programme scheduled for January 3. Supporters of Janardhana Reddy objected to the move, which quickly led to a heated argument.

What began as a verbal dispute soon spiralled out of control. Both groups allegedly engaged in stone-pelting, creating panic in the neighbourhood. During the chaos, a 28-year-old Congress worker sustained fatal injuries and later died. Another individual was reportedly shot during the clash and is currently undergoing treatment in hospital, with doctors describing his condition as serious.

Soon after the incident, police intervened and carried out a lathi-charge to disperse the crowd and restore order. Security in the area has since been tightened, with additional police personnel deployed as a precautionary measure.

Political accusations followed swiftly. KRPP MLA Janardhana Reddy alleged that the violence was part of a planned attempt on his life. He claimed that supporters of Congress MLA Bharath Reddy fired multiple rounds outside his residence and accused Bharath Reddy and his associate of orchestrating the attack.

Rejecting these allegations, Bharath Reddy countered by holding Janardhana Reddy responsible for the unrest and the loss of life. He stated that certain forces were trying to disturb peace in Ballari and derail the upcoming Valmiki programme.