Kidnapped BJP town panchayat member in Kittur rescued, 3 held

Channamma Kittur (Belagavi district): Nagaraj Asundi, the BJP member in the Channamma Kittur Town Panchayat, who was kidnapped on August 30 in the wake of civic body election for the posts of president and vice president to be held on September 3, has been rescued by the police on Monday.

He was traced by the police at Bankapur in Haveri district along with accused. They were secured and brought to the town and produced before court.

Asundi was produced at JMFC Court in Bailhongal wherein his statement was recorded under section 183 of Bharatiya Nyay Samhita.

The three accused arrested were identified as Ashok Malagi, Basavaraj Sangolli and Praveen Chikkangoudar.

BJP had accused that Asundi had been kidnapped at the behest of MLA Babasaheb Patil. They had also staged protest in the premises of District Police Office in Belagavi and Tahsildar office in the town.

Election for the post of president and vice president of Town Panchayat had been scheduled for September 3. In the 18 member house, BJP has 9 seats, Congress 5 and 4 independents who were said to be supporting Congress. President post has been reserved for General category and Vice President for General Woman category. BJP has ex-officio member MP Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri and Congress MLA Babasaheb Patil as voters. Both the parties stand equal with 10 voters each.

Karnataka High Court, Dharwad Bench had stayed the election in wake of the member being kidnapped. BJP Member Nagaraj Asundi was kidnapped on August 30, night while he was standing near Chowkimath Circle in the town. He was traced by the police at Bankapur in Haveri district along with accused. They were secured and brought to the town and produced before court.

Former MLA Mahantesh Doddagoudar also advocate by profession appeared in the court in Bailhongal on behalf of Asundi.