Karnataka authorities have barred Hyderabad-based BJP leader Kompella Madhavi Latha from entering Bagalkot district for a month, citing apprehensions over law and order during a Hindu Ganapati idol immersion procession, as reported in Times of India.
An order issued by the Bagalkot District Magistrate under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, prohibits Madhavi Latha from entering or remaining within the entire Bagalkot district from September 23 to October 23, 2026.
The order was issued following a recommendation from Bagalkot Superintendent of Police Siddharth Goyal, dated September 21, which was received by the district administration on September 22.
Police Cite Previous Statements And Hyderabad Incident
According to the police recommendation cited in the order, Madhavi Latha is an active BJP leader who is invited to Hindu gatherings in different parts of the country and has served as a prominent speaker at such events.
The police alleged that she has a tendency to deliver provocative speeches at Hindu gatherings and referred to what it described as previous instances of hate speech and provocative gestures.
The recommendation specifically referred to the April 2024 Ram Navami procession in Hyderabad, during which Madhavi Latha was seen making a gesture resembling the shooting of an arrow towards a religious place associated with another community.
The police claimed that such speeches and gestures could provoke members of another community and potentially lead to a deterioration in law and order and damage to public property.
An FIR had previously been registered against Madhavi Latha in connection with the Hyderabad incident over allegations that the gesture hurt religious sentiments. Latha had maintained that the video being circulated was incomplete and had said she would apologise if anyone’s sentiments had been hurt.
6,000-7,000 People Expected For Ganapati Immersion
The district administration cited the Hindu Maha Ganapati idol immersion procession scheduled in Bagalkot city on September 24 as a specific reason for the preventive restriction.
According to the order, around 6,000 to 7,000 people were expected to participate in the immersion procession. The organisers had reportedly invited Madhavi Latha to Bagalkot as a prominent speaker.
The police recommendation stated that her arrival in Bagalkot could create a law-and-order situation and potentially result in damage to public property.
The order also described Bagalkot district as communally sensitive and said that adequate police arrangements were particularly necessary during religious events.
Previous Cases Cited By Police
The police recommendation also referred to previous cases registered in Bagalkot district during earlier Ganesh Chaturthi immersion periods to underline the law-and-order concerns.
Three cases were listed in the order.
The first was Jamkhandi Town Police Station Crime No. 124/2021, registered under Sections 143, 147, 323, 336 and 149 of the Indian Penal Code. The order stated that the case had been acquitted in the competent court.
The second was Kerur Police Station Crime No. 169/2022, registered under Sections 143, 147, 148, 186, 323, 324, 353, 333, 307 and 109 read with Section 149 of the IPC. The case was stated to be pending trial as CC No. 26/2023.
The third was Bagalkot Town Police Station Crime No. 78/2022, registered under various IPC provisions, along with provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2015. The order listed the case as NPL No. 01/2023.
Police Serve Restriction Order On Madhavi Latha
The Bagalkot Superintendent of Police subsequently issued a notice dated September 22 serving Madhavi Latha with a copy of the District Magistrate’s order.
The notice stated that the restriction had been imposed under Section 163 of the BNSS, 2023, and prohibited her from entering the entire Bagalkot district from September 23 to October 23.
She was directed to strictly comply with the order and was informed that she could neither enter nor remain within the territorial limits of Bagalkot district during the period of its operation.
Hindu leader @Kompella_MLatha barred from entering Bagalkote!
Banned from entering the entire district for a month while seeking to attend a Hindu festival.
If a Hindu leader is barred from attending a Hindu festival in Karnataka, what kind of Constitution is this?
— 🚩Mohan Gowda🇮🇳 (@Mohan_HJS) September 25, 2026
Madhavi Latha Criticises Restriction
Madhavi Latha criticised the restriction on social media, saying that a devotee of Sanatana Dharma had been prevented from attending a religious festival. She said that while the authorities could restrict her movement, they could not restrict her devotion.
A question to the Congress government in Karnataka:
If a Sanātani wants to travel to another district to offer prayers and celebrate Ganesh Mahotsava, why should the answer be a restriction on the devotee?
Our festivals are not a threat to law and order.
If there is a fear… pic.twitter.com/Z1mT8T1pj0
— Kompella Madhavi Latha (@Kompella_MLatha) September 23, 2026
Latha came to national prominence after the BJP fielded her against AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi from Hyderabad in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. She has described herself as a long-time RSS worker and has also been associated with entrepreneurial, hospital administration, social and cultural activities.
Pramod Mutalik Arrives In Bagalkot
After it became clear that Madhavi Latha would not be entering Bagalkot, Sri Ram Sene chief Pramod Mutalik arrived in the city ahead of the procession.
His arrival reportedly caught the police off guard. Police officers met Mutalik at Basaveshwara Chowk and cautioned him against making provocative remarks before he addressed the gathering.
Subscribe to our channels on WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram and YouTube to get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.
