Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge said the state will not allow any form of vigilantism and will strictly penalize violators [1, 2].

The warning follows recent attacks on civic staff during pavement-encroachment drives in Shivaji Nagar. This move signals a government effort to protect public officials from targeted violence while enforcing urban regulations.

Kharge said these statements during the Rising Bharat Summit in Karnataka [1, 2]. He said that law enforcement is taking a zero-tolerance approach to those who bypass legal channels to take action against others. According to the minister, cases have been booked against all offenders involved in the recent attacks on civic personnel [1, 2].

"No kind of vigilantism will be allowed in my state, whether it is with government officials or whether it is public," Kharge said [2].

The minister said that the law must be upheld regardless of the political affiliation of those involved. The crackdown aims to ensure that civic staff can carry out their duties without fear of physical assault or intimidation, a necessary step for maintaining public order during municipal drives.

Officials said that the legal process will be pursued against all identified participants in the Shivaji Nagar incidents [1, 2]. By filing formal charges, the administration seeks to deter future vigilante actions that undermine the state's judicial and enforcement systems.

“"No kind of vigilantism will be allowed in my state, whether it is with government officials or whether it is public."”

This stance reflects a broader effort by the Karnataka government to assert the monopoly of the state over legal violence. By specifically targeting those who attack civic workers during encroachment drives, the administration is attempting to prevent municipal enforcement from becoming a catalyst for street-level conflict and political instability.