HD Kumaraswamy Caught On Camera Demanding ‘Merciless Killing’ Of JD(S) Leader’s Assailants, Later Clarifies

Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy has been caught in a controversy for allegedly ordering an encounter before a camera, as per reports.

"He (H Prakash) was a good man. I don't know who killed him in this way. Kill the miscreant mercilessly in a shootout. There would be no problem," he is heard saying in video clips recorded by local journalists.

Later he clarified that it was an emotional reaction to the murder of his party man and not an official order.

“It (kill assailants mercilessly) was not my order, I was emotional at that moment. they (killers) are the reason for two murders and they were in jail. they came out on bail two days ago and killed another person (JDS leader Prakash), this is how they are misusing bail”, the chief minister told ANI.

"Prakash was a loyal party worker. The district police have been directed to take steps to arrest the accused," the chief minister’s office said in a statement.

H Prakash, a JDS leader was hacked to death on Monday (24 December) at around 4.30 pm in Mandya. As per reports, four men on motorcycles chased his car down, forced it to stop and assaulted him with machetes. Prakash was rushed to the Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences, where he died.