Belagavi: A week after an FIR was registered against BJP MLA from Kagwad constituency Bharamgouda (Raju) Kage and 12 others, for assaulting a Congress leader, police still have no clue of the whereabouts of the MLA or his kin. Raju Kage accused of assaulting Congress leader Vivek Shetty from Ugar Khurd of Athani taluk applied for anticipatory bail in the Belagavi district court. The hearing is scheduled for January 19. Police have formed four teams to hunt for the accused. On Sunday, four aides of Raju Kage were arrested. SP Ravikanthe Gowda has handed over the case to Gokak DySP. Condemning the attack on Shetty and delay in arresting the accused, Congress workers led by Subhash Kurade staged a protest at Ugar Khurd village.District BJP president Vishwanath Patil on Monday said that there was no need for the MLA to abscond. "He could have surrendered to the local police," he said. "I spoke to him once and suggested that he surrender," said Patil.

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