Bengaluru: Five staffers of the Greater Bengaluru Authority’s (GBA) Bengaluru Central City Corporation were injured after a group attacked them while they were clearing encroachments from a footpath on Commercial Street here Tuesday as part of the state govt’s ongoing drive.A female assistant engineer (AE) was allegedly targeted with pepper spray during the assault.Police arrested 10 people, while two others were detained. An investigation is under way to identify others involved in the attack, police said.Reacting strongly to the incident, Bengaluru development minister Krishna Byre Gowda said: “Attempt-to-murder charges will be pressed. I have instructed the commissioner of police and GBA officials to take strict action.”According to DCP (East) Vikram Amathe, two men initially got into an argument with the civic team. “Soon, others joined them and they abused and attacked the staffers, including women. Pepper spray was also used during the attack,” Amathe said.Based on a complaint filed by assistant executive engineer (AEE) Madhava Rao, an FIR was registered at the Commercial Street police station.The injured officials — Madhavrao (AEE), Savitri (AEE), Ruchitha (AE) and outsourced employees Siddappa and Sunil — are under treatment at Bowring Hospital.The Bengaluru development minister said Kannada activist Basavaraj Padukotee was also allegedly involved in the incident and would be taken into custody.“These are anti-social elements. Assaulting govt representatives while implementing Supreme Court directives is a serious violation of law. We stand firmly with these officers,” he added.The attack notwithstanding, the anti-encroachment drive continued Tuesday, clearing footpaths in Shivaji Nagar as planned.
