Bangalore: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa became the latest target of the 'footwear missile' on Tuesday when a slipper was hurled at him while he was addressing an election meeting. Police said it was the handiwork of a vagabond who appeared drunk.
The incident took place while Yeddyurappa was campaigning for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Channarayapatna in Hassan district, around 150 km from Bangalore. The slipper fell far from the dais and the man who threw it was nabbed by police and charged with assault.
"His (the slipper thrower's) name is Chandrashekar and he is aged about 34 years. He is a vagabond and appeared drunk," N Kumar, Channarayapatna police inspector, said on phone.
"He has been charged with 'assault or criminal force with intent to dishonour person, otherwise than on grave provocation' (section 355 of Indian Penal Code) and 'intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace (section 504). Punishment will be under section 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation)," Kumar said.
The section provides for imprisonment up to two years with or without fine.
Hassan is the stronghold of Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) candidate and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda who is battling the BJP's K H Hanume Gowda.
This is the latest of many sensational footwear hurling incidents this election season. First a journalist threw a shoe at central Home Minister P. Chidambaram during a press meet in New Delhi, and subsequently Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the BJP's prime ministerial candidate L K Advani and Congress leader Naveen Jindal all fell victim to what is being called "footwear missiles".
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