Thaindian News

Bangalore, Oct 1 (IANS) A “disgruntled” Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker Saturday tried to hit Karnataka Housing Minister V. Somanna in the state secretariat with a sandal but was restrained, police said.

The man, identified only as Prasad, was immediately overpowered by Somanna’s staff, roundly thrashed and handed over to police.

Prasad, said to be in his 30s, carried a BJP worker identity card and was waiting to meet Somanna outside the minister’s office on the third floor of Vidhana Soudha, the secretariat building in central Bangalore.

As Somanna emerged from his office, Prasad tried to hit him with his sandal, police said.

Somanna later told reporters that he was not hit.

Eyewitnesses said Prasad shouted that he was “fed up with the government for not helping” him and would attack all ministers.

Somanna said he remembered the man had come to meet with some request two weeks back. “I had not seen him after that,” he said.

Following the incident, Home Minister R. Ashoka held a meeting with senior police officials to tighten screening of visitors to the secretariat.

Hundreds of people visit the secretariat every day as it houses the offices of the chief minister, ministers and senior officials of various ministries and departments.