Man with gun goes close to CM Siddaramaiah, garlands minister during election campaign

BENGALURU: A gun-wielding man on Monday went close to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah while he was on an open vehicle here, and garlanded Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy standing next to him.

The incident happened at Bhairasandra in the city when Siddaramaiah was campaigning for Reddy’s daughter and Congress’ Lok Sabha candidate Sowmya Reddy.

The man, whom police identified as Riyaz, suddenly climbed on the vehicle with a gun fastened to his waist.

Raising slogans in support of Congress, Riyaz garlanded Reddy, his daughter Sowmya and others.

As he was getting down from the vehicle, Siddaramaiah and others on the vehicle noticed the gun.

Police said Riyaz has been carrying a gun since a murderous assault on him a few years ago, and he has been exempted from surrendering his gun.

In a post on the microblogging site ‘X’, the BJP targeted the chief minister, saying this proves that “those who garland” Siddaramaiah are hooligans, rowdies, street thugs.

“Gun-wielding rowdies, who used to be seen in the birthday posters, are now posing in front of the society with guns and garlands the CM and deputy chief minister in the rallies.

Although the election code of conduct is in force, they are carrying guns and demonstrating like this to intimidate the voters in the area,” the party said.