Bengaluru : Three people were killed in the southern Indian city of Bengaluru after violence erupted between police and protesters over a reported derogatory Facebook post about the Prophet Mohammad, a senior police official said on Wednesday.
The violent protests saw thousands taking to the streets late on Tuesday, local news reports said.
A mob rampaged through Bengaluru’s Pulakeshi Nagar Tuesday night and vandalised a police station and the Congress legislator Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy’s residence whose relative had allegedly shared the Facebook post, police said.
In the ensuing violence, two persons were killed and around 60 police personnel sustained injuries, ANI news agency quoted police as saying. Section 144 has been imposed in the entire Bengaluru city, police said.
Police said they have arrested around 100 person in connection with the violence.
Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa said on Wednesday that strict action will be taken against those responsible for the violence.
Meanwhile, the police have arrested the person who had posted the derogatory post on Facebook. “The accused has been arrested for sharing derogatory posts on social media,” Bengaluru Police Commissioner Kamal Pant said.
A large number of people gathered near MLA Murthy’s residence and vandalised it and damaged the vehicles parked there.
The mob then targeted the police station and damaged vehicles believing that the police had kept the accused detained there, they said.
The police teams that tried to contain the violence also bore the brunt of the mob as their vehicles were damaged, eye-witnesses said.
Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said riots and arson are against law and warned the rioters that he has given police a free hand to contain the violence.
Later, MLA Murthy appealed to the community members to not resort to violence.
“I am appealing to my Muslim brethren that we should not resort to violence for the fault committed by some miscreants. There is no need to fight. We all are brothers. We will get the person punished as per law. We will also be with you. I appeal to the Muslim friends to be calm,” he said in a video message.
Congress MLA and former minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan said the violence was unfortunate.
“I am hopeful that police will take action against all those who are responsible for this. I also request everyone to stay calm and maintain peace in the area,” Khan tweeted.
After learning about the incident, the Bengaluru Police Commissioner Kamal Pant had rushed to the spot but his intervention too did not stop the rioters.
Later, the Bengaluru police tweeted that it had to lathi-charged the mob, lob the tear gas and finally open fire to control them. Dozens of protesters have been arrested.
The police said the culprits of Tuesday’s violence and arson will not be spared.
The Congress party has condemned the violence at their legislator R Akhanda Srinivas Murthy’s house in Bengaluru.
DK Shivakumar, the president of the Karnataka unit of Congress, also criticised the Facebook post which led to the clashes, calling it derogatory.
“Completely condemn the violence unleashed on our party legislator’s house as well as on the police. Equally condemn the derogatory Facebook post. Nobody should indulge in violence,” Shivakumar said.
He also said that a meeting of all Congress’s Bengaluru MLAs has been conveyed at 12 noon at the party office to discuss the matter.
Responding to a tweet by BL Santhosh, the national organisation secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shivakumar said, “Let them (BJP) play politics even in such an unfortunate incident. We will address the situation as required.”
Santhosh had tweeted, “Dead silence by @INCIndia @INCKarnataka even after their Dalit MLA Sri Akhanda Srinivas Murthy was attacked, house ransacked yesterday in Bengaluru. Total support for Right to riot? For them appeasement in the only official party policy.”
Three people were killed in the violence in DJ Halli and KG Halli areas of Bengaluru on Tuesday night. While two of those killed in the incident have been identified, the police are trying to ascertain the identity of the third person. the police have imposed curfew in the affected areas.
More than 160 people have been arrested in connection with the violence in which 60 police personnel were also injured.
Bengaluru police commissioner Kamal Pant has appealed for calm. Additional police force is being deployed across Bengaluru where Section 144 has been imposed. Leaves of all police personnel have been cancelled to ensure adequate security on ground, the police sources said.
Chief minister BS Yediyurappa condemned the violence on Twitter, saying ruthless action will be taken against those who are found taking law into their hands.
He also said that those who attacked police, media and the public will not be spared. He appealed for calm.
The police have arrested the youth accused of posting the message which irked the minority community members. The police have claimed that the youth Naveen is a relative of MLA Murthy. Naveen has however claimed that his account was hacked.
Meanwhile, Murthy is scheduled to meet revenue minister R Ashoka and seek protection for himself and his family after part of his residence was burnt down by the protesters who threw stones and bottles at the building. Some vehicles parked outside the house were also damaged.
