Around 110 rioters have been arrested for the violence that broke out in Kaval Byrasandra, D.J. Halli, protesting against an alleged inflammatory social media post by a relative of Congress MLA R. Akhanda Srinivasamurthy on Tuesday.
Naveen P, the nephew Mr. Srinivasamurthy, who allegedly put up an inflammatory post on Facebook has been arrested.
60 policemen and at least one press person were also injured during the riots. Police have now clamped down a curfew in the area.
Tension started to flair up on Tuesday night after the post went viral in the area. Pretty soon people started gathering in front of the MLA’s house protesting against the post. The MLA was not at home even as the mob pelted stones at his house and later set portions of it on fire. The police rushed to the spot and picked up Naveen even as the mob of about 1,000 demanded he be handed over to them, police officials said.
The mob accused the police of “rescuing” Naveen and soon turned against them, which spread the violence to other parts of the area.
“We have detained Naveen in connection with the post he made. The mob if they had their way would have lynched him,” said a senior police official while talking to the press.
“Nearly 50-70 policemen were trapped inside the police station and in the vicinity battling a violent mob of over a thousand, that were pelting stones, glass bottles and burning down vehicles. It was so violent that even the striking forces that were pressed in found it hard to get into the area as they also came under attack,” said the officer. A battalion of Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) finally made a breakthrough and entered DJ Halli Police Station from its back entrance and secured the police station.
“The situation was brought under control Tuesday late night. It is sad that we had to open fire,” said Bengaluru Police commissioner Kamal Pant.
