Bengaluru officials attacked during footpath clearance drive in Shivaji Nagar

On July 21, 2026, officials of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) began a footpath clearance operation in Shivaji Nagar, Bengaluru, under the direction of Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda. The drive aimed to remove encroachments from pavements as mandated by the Supreme Court.

During the operation, a group of street vendors turned violent, dragging Assistant Executive Engineer Gowtham and other officers onto the road, assaulting them and using pepper spray on an official named Ruchitha. The driver of a tractor and the operator of an earthmover involved in the clearance were also hospitalized. Police arrested five suspects and said the main instigator, Basavaraj Pudukote, would be booked under the Goonda Act and charged with attempted murder.

Minister Gowda condemned the attack, stating, “The attackers are not hardworking poor people earning their livelihood. They are anti‑social elements…We stand firmly with officers discharging their public duty.” The GBA Employees’ Union threatened to suspend work, including an electoral‑roll revision, until the accused are apprehended.