Congress MLA Haris apologises in Karnataka Assembly for son's assault on youth
Bengaluru: Ruling Congress legislator N.A. Haris on Tuesday apologised in the Karnataka Assembly for an assault by his son Mohammed Nalapad on a youth at a city cafe.
"I tender an apology if the incident involving my son has affected the dignity of the house and pride of its members," Haris said on the third day of the Assembly Budget Session.
Nalapad, 24, is in three-day police custody till Wednesday after he surrendered on Monday at the Cubbon Park police station, where he was booked for allegedly assaulting Vidvat, 24, at Fergi Cafe in the upscale UB City Mall in the city centre on Saturday night after an altercation.
An embarrassed Congress expelled Nalapad on Sunday and sacked him as state Youth Congress General Secretary after police belatedly filed an FIR against him on the complaint of the victim's friend V. Praveen.
Regretting that "sometimes due to unusual circumstances, such incidents happen", Haris admitted that none was above the law and wrongdoers must be punished.
"But I object to the mudslinging by opposition parties against me and my party over the incident in view of the coming Assembly polls," the Congress MLA said.
Denying opposition Bharatiya Janata Party leader Jagadish Shettar's charge that he had put pressure on police to delay the filing of the FIR and arrest of his son, Haris said he would have asked his son to surrender on Sunday itself but was not reachable or traceable.
"Nalapad surrendered on Monday after I conveyed my displeasure to him through his friends and told him sternly to do so, as a law-abiding member of this august house," Haris said.
Haris also apologised to the media for the alleged attack on media persons at the police station by Nalapad's supporters on Monday at the time of his surrender and where members of the BJP and Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) were protesting against the assault.
"I admit that nobody, including legislators, is above the law and wrongdoers must be punished as per the law," said Haris.
Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy told the legislators that a police officer was suspended for not acting against the accused swiftly.
In a statement earlier in the day, Haris also apologised to Vidvat and his parents for Nalapad's violent conduct and murderous assault on their son.
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Karnataka approves railway barricades in Madikeri, Nagarhole to curb human-elephant conflict
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre on Tuesday said a 7-km railway barricade has been approved for the Madikeri division and 20 km for the Nagarhole division in 2025–26 to curb human-elephant conflict in the regions.
Responding to a proposal raised by BJP MLC Suja Kushalappa during Zero Hour in the Legislative Council, he assured that work on the proposed railway barricades would begin soon.
Citing the death of a 17-year-old girl in an elephant attack on February 28 and that of a tribal woman on March 9 in the state, the minister said these deaths caused by elephant attacks were "extremely painful".
"Human life is very precious and cannot be valued in monetary terms. The Forest Department is taking all measures to prevent human-wildlife conflict."
The minister further said steps such as maintenance of elephant-proof trenches and solar-powered fencing were being undertaken, while two elephant task forces were currently in operation.
Orders have also been issued by the Chief Wildlife Warden to capture two rogue elephants.
In both cases, Rs 5 lakh compensation has already been disbursed to the families of the deceased, and the remaining Rs 15 lakh each will be provided within a week, he added.
Khandre said the government was making sincere efforts to find a permanent solution to the human–elephant conflict.
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