Belagavi: While the Belagavi district administration is gearing to extern 20 rowdies from the district for their involvement in anti-social activities, at least 27 other rowdy-sheeters are in the fray for the gram panchayat elections in various parts of the district.
The lobby of rowdies is so strong in some areas that already, two of them have been elected unopposed even before the elections are held!
To keep the rowdies under control, the Belagavi superintendent of police Ravi Kanthegowda held a parade of 600 rowdies a few days ago. The SP warned them of serious action if they indulged in anti-social activities again. Despite the anti-rowdy operations, the government failed to prevent rowdies from entering the fray.
The presence of rowdy-sheeters having a notorious criminal record has made voters fearful. A resident of Halaga, Mallesh Kurangi who is the main accused in the murder case of his elder brother Parashuram Kurangi was elected unopposed. Parashuram Kurangi, who was president of the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee of Belagavi was chased in broad daylight and hacked to death a few years ago.
None of the villagers in gram panchayats where 27 rowdies are contesting have opposed their nomination and most of them are likely to be elected due to their notorious background.
