Mysuru: Due to old rivalry, two groups of youths clashed at Gokulam on Friday night and pointed revolvers in the open. One of the youths Keshava involved in the clash was a close aide of late Rakesh Siddaramaiah.

Arguments that began over an old enmity and financial dealings reached a flashpoint when two persons pointed revolvers at one of the clashing groups and threatened to open fire. According to police sources, Ramakrishna who is an emerging political leader in Gokulam, after having dinner, came out of his house near the Ganapathi Temple to have beeda which is his regular practice. As Ramakrishna came near Saraswathi Beeda Stall, three cars stopped there and five persons got out of them. They have been identified as Keshava, a resident of Sharadadevinagar, Sumanth and Umesh from Bengaluru, Muralikrishna from Ramakrishnanagar and Diwakar, a software engineer in Bengaluru.

After alighting from the cars, Keshava, who knew Ramakrishna, confronted him over an old issue. Keshava questioned Ramakrishna over him having staged a protest along with few political workers over some issue in front of Keshava’s house in Sharadadevinagar. Following the protest, Keshava was absconding for few weeks. Both Ramakrishna and Keshava had financial dealings.

Keshava allegedly abused Ramakrishna for organising the protest. The verbal abuses reached a flashpoint when Ramakrishna allegedly assaulted Keshava. After Ramakrishna attacked Keshava, the others who had come along with the latter pounced on the former. The public, including some of Ramakrishna’s friends, gathered at the place and Keshava’s friends Muralikrishna and Diwakar were assaulted.

When the people came in large numbers, Keshava and Umesh allegedly flashed two revolvers at Ramakrishna and his supporters. A police team which was on night rounds came to the spot and took a few persons to the police station for interrogation.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Shekhar visited the spot. Muralikrishna and Divakar who got injured in the incident have been admitted to K R Hospital. Lethal weapons including long knives, clubs and machetes have been recovered from the vehicles.

It is also alleged that Ramakrishna and his supporters had pelted stones at Keshava’s residence after the death of Rakesh Siddaramaiah.

Jayalakshmipuram Police are investigating the cause behind the clash and are also on the lookout for the absconding people who were involved in the clash.