“I was emotional at that moment,” Kumaraswamy said after getting flak for his comments.
Karnataka chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has found himself at the centre of a controversy after he was caught on camera ordering someone – likely a senior police officer – to “kill mercilessly” those behind the murder of a local leader of his party, Janata Dal Secular (JDS).
As per a video released by ANI, Kumaraswamy was heard saying: “He [JDS leader H. Prakash] was a good man, I don’t know why did they murder him. Kill them [the assailants] mercilessly in a shootout, no problem.”
According to Indian Express, the chief minister, who was briefed about Prakash’s murder by the intelligence department soon after in the Vijayapura district, called his comments an “emotional” reaction.
“I was emotional at that moment,” Kumaraswamy reportedly said on Monday after getting flak for his comments. “They [the killers] are the reason for two murders and they were in jail. They came out on bail two days ago and killed another person…this is how they are misusing bail.”
According to an NDTV report, leaders close to the Karnataka chief minister said he was in a state of shock after hearing of Prakash’s killing and his reaction was only an outburst.
Prakash was hacked to death on Monday afternoon in south Karnataka’s Mandya allegedly by four men. The assailants reportedly chased the leader’s car, forcing him to stop. They then attacked him with machetes. The alleged killers were earlier arrested in connection with two murders and are currently out on bail.
As per a statement issued by the chief minister’s office: “Prakash was a loyal party worker. The district police have been directed to take steps to arrest the accused.”
source: TheWire
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