Namma Karnataka Sene chief Basawaraj arrested for assault on GBA officials during footpath clearance drive; total arrests rises to 11

GBA officials resumed clearing footpath encroachments around the Shivajinagar BMTC bus stand after the clearance drive was suspended following an attack on GBA officials, in Bengaluru on Tuesday (July 21, 2026). | Photo Credit: K. Murali Kumar The Commercial Street police in Bengaluru have arrested Basawaraj Padukote, the State president of Namma Karnataka Sene, in connection with the assault on government officials during an anti-encroachment drive under the Safe Footpath Campaign in Shivajinagar.Mr. Padukote, whom the police identified as the main accused, is the 11th person arrested in the case. The police on a Tuesday (July 21, 2026) had arrested 10 people.According to Bengaluru Police, he allegedly led the attack on officials who were carrying out an encroachment removal drive. The police also said Mr. Padukote has a criminal background.The latest arrest comes after the Employees’ Association of the Greater Bengaluru Authority threatened to launch a pen-down strike if those responsible for the attack were not arrested. The association had also demanded adequate police protection for civic staff engaged in the ongoing anti-encroachment operations.Police said the investigation is continuing and further action will be taken based on the mobile phones recording and CCTV evidence collected.On Tuesday, high drama had erupted near the Shivajinagar Bus Stand in Central Bengaluru when officials of the GBA began a footpath clearance drive, with a group of people launching an attack on the officers, assaulting them with chairs and helmets, and using pepper spray to chase them away. Five people were injured in the incident, including Assistant Executive Engineer Madhav Rao . Published - July 22, 2026 07:58 am IST