Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy has ignited a fresh political firestorm in Karnataka by alleging that multiple postmortems were conducted on the body of a Congress worker killed in the Ballari clash, with the intent to incriminate BJP MLA Gali Janardhan Reddy. The accusation has drawn a sharp response from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who has stated he was not aware of such procedures.
The Allegations and Political Sparring
Addressing a press conference on Monday, January 5, 2026, Union Steel and Heavy Industry Minister H D Kumaraswamy, who is also a former Chief Minister of Karnataka, launched a direct attack on the Congress-led state government. He raised serious questions about the handling of the postmortem of Congress worker Rajashekar Reddy, who was killed in a violent clash between BJP and Congress workers in Ballari.
"How many times was the body examined? What was the report in the first postmortem? What was the report in the second postmortem?" Kumaraswamy demanded to know. He alleged that the first postmortem did not recover a bullet, but a second procedure miraculously found one. "In the first postmortem, the bullet was not removed. In the second postmortem, a bullet was found. This is what transpired," he claimed, demanding to know who ordered the second examination.
Kumaraswamy further asserted that the reason for the second postmortem was to strengthen a complaint filed by a relative of the victim, which alleged that BJP MLA Janardhan Reddy himself had fired the fatal shot. He used the occasion to criticize the Siddaramaiah government, alleging a "complete collapse of law and order machinery" and boldly predicting that "Siddaramaiah is the last Congress CM of Karnataka."
Government's Response and Case Details
When confronted with these allegations, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, speaking to reporters in Mysuru, offered a cautious response. He stated that he was not aware of multiple postmortems being conducted. "The police are investigating. We will know the truth once it is over," the CM said, distancing himself from the operational details of the probe.
The clash, which occurred over fixing a banner in front of BJP MLA Janardhan Reddy's residence, had turned deadly with multiple rounds of bullets being fired. Following the incident, the police booked several high-profile individuals, including:
- BJP MLA Gali Janardhan Reddy
- Former minister B Sriramulu
- Congress MLA Nara Bharath Reddy
In a significant development on the same day, 26 accused in the case were remanded to judicial custody. Among them was Gurucharan Singh, the private gunman of MLA Bharath Reddy's relative Satish Reddy. The police investigation alleges that the bullet which killed Rajashekar Reddy was fired by Singh.
Implications and Ongoing Investigation
The allegations of multiple postmortems have added a complex layer to an already politically charged case. It has shifted the focus from the violence itself to the integrity of the investigative process. The claims, if proven, could point to a serious attempt to manipulate evidence, while the government's denial sets the stage for a bitter political blame game.
With key figures from both the BJP and Congress named in the FIRs, and the involvement of a Union Minister leveling grave accusations against the state government, the Ballari clash case is poised to remain a central issue in Karnataka's political discourse. All eyes are now on the police investigation, which the Chief Minister has cited as the ultimate source of truth.
