Padarayanapura accused being shifted to Hajj Bhavan from Ramanagara jail

Ramanagara: The state government is shifting the arrested accused in Padarayanapura incident to Hajj Bhavan in Bengaluru from the Ramanagara jail here on Friday, April 24.

The government’s decision to lodge the accused at Ramanagara, which has been categorised as a green zone sparked a row with former chief minister and JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy saying that the government will be responsible if the pandemic spreads in the district.

Five persons of the 117 arrested have tested positive for coronavirus and they will be admitted to the Victoria Hospital, while the others are being shifted to the Hajj Bhavan, informed Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai.

It is gathered that government has deployed 3-4 KSRTC buses to shift the accused under police protection.

Apart from them, frontline health and police staff deputed at Padarayanapura and about 30 jail staff from Ramanagara will be quarantined.

Meanwhile reacting to the controversy, Bommai said that the government action would have been questioned even if they had kept the arrested accused in a hospital instead of a prison

The pandemic has resulted in unprecedented law and order situations. There will be accusations in whatever we do. The government takes appropriate decisions based on circumstances,” Bommai said.