Kargil hero’s family fear for their lives

Beaten, threatened, and forced to hide, Subedar R Balakrishna of the Madras Engineering Group (MEG) has been on the run ever since he took on Bangalore’s water mafia. The Kargil veteran is worried about his wife and two sons. Balakrishna’s family has been living in a state of fear. The water mafia has cut their Horamavu house’s water and sanitary connections.

DNA, in its August 8 and 9 editions, had reported how Raju, the husband of Horamavu corporator Tejeshwini, and his associates were after Balakrishna’s life after he questioned his authority over the water supply in his area. 

Balakrishna was allegedly beaten up by Raju and his henchmen.
He was forced to seek shelter in his regimental campus of MEG in
Ulsoor, leaving his wife Maragathe Mani Malai and two sons,
Govardhanagiri and Chethan, behind. “I am afraid to live here with my two children. Raju’s men come and threaten us at night,” said Maragathe. Even the local police are supporting Raju, she said.

MP and Agenda for Bangalore Infrastructure and Development (ABIDe) convener Rajeev Chandrasekhar has offered to help Balakrishna. “The incident reflects how poorly our soldiers and their families are treated by the government, and the hardships they face,” Chandrasekhar told DNA. Chandrasekhar wants the water connection to be restored at Balakrishna’s house.