Former minister Ramesh Jarkiholi’s son booked for celebratory gunfire at public event

Belagavi: A video of Santosh Jarkiholi, son of former minister and Gokak BJP MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi, firing a gun into the air during a public celebration has gone viral, sparking controversy across Karnataka’s Belagavi district.

The incident took place during the Lakshmi Devi fair in Gokak, where Santosh participated along with his supporters. In the video, Santosh can be seen holding a gun and firing shots into the air while his supporters cheer and shout slogans in celebration.

What has caused concern is that the celebratory firing reportedly happened right in front of a temple, in the middle of a large crowd, and allegedlyin the presence of local police officers. The incident occurred within the limits of the Gokak Town Police Station.

As soon as the video surfaced and began circulating widely on social media, Gokak Town police acted on their own and registered a suo motu case against Santosh Jarkiholi.

Speaking to reporters Belagavi District Superintendent of Police Dr Bhimashankar Guled confirmed the development. “We have come across the video showing Ramesh Jarkiholi’s son firing shots into the air in a public place. Displaying firearms and firing in public is an offence. Based on this, we have registered a suo motu case and further legal action will follow after a detailed investigation,” he said.

Further investigation is underway to determine whether the weapon used was licensed and whether other legal provisions have been violated. The district police are expected to summon Santosh Jarkiholi for questioning soon.