Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Wednesday warned miscreants behind Tuesday’s mob violence that his government would not tolerate rioting and instigation of violence in the state. Yediyurappa directed the police to immediately arrest all the accused after Tuesday night's violence claimed three lives in police firing that followed the arson and rioting over a social media post.
On Tuesday, a mob attacked the house of Congress MLA of Pulakeshinagar and dalit leader Akhanda Srinivas Murthy and went on a rampage, vandalising houses, torching vehicles and attacking the DJ Halli police station. Yediyurappa condemned the act and called it "unpardonable".
"The attack on MLA's house and DJ Halli police station and the riots that followed is condemnable. I have ordered strict action against the miscreants and the government has taken adequate measures to bring the situation under control. The attack on presspersons, police and the citizens is unpardonable. We will not tolerate such rioting and instigation. All the guilty will face stern action. I appeal to the people not to fall prey to any provocation and exercise restraint," tweeted Yediyurappa.
Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai stated that the police have been given absolute powers to bring the situation under control. The police have imposed curfew in both DJ Halli and KG Halli police station limits.
Three persons were killed in the police firing. Two of the deceased have been identified as Wajid Pasha (20) and Yasin Pasha (22), both residents of DJ Halli. The police have so far arrested 165 persons and filed 10 FIRs. At least 60 policemen have been injured in the incident. The DJ Halli police has arrested Muzammil Pasha, Glass Jafar and Kalam Pasha, in connection with the violence that broke out on Tuesday night.
A political conspiracy?
One of those arrested, Muzammil Pasha, a SDPI leader had contested in the previous BBMP elections from Sagaypura (Ward no.60), which comes under Pulakeshinagar, a SC-reserved constituency. It is alleged that the incident is part of a political conspiracy to polarise the community votes ahead of the BBMP elections.
According to sources, Pasha had come to KG Halli police station to file a complaint against Naveen, who had allegedly made the offensive post. But later, Pasha addressed a huge gathering outside the police station. He was also found rioting in DJ Halli, when a mob attacked the MLA’s house a few hours later.
According to initial reports, the MLA's house in Kaval Byrasandra in north Bengaluru was attacked by a mob on Tuesday night, over a Facebook post allegedly posted by the legislator's nephew, Naveen. According to sources, the post is said to be offensive towards Islam.
The mob then went on a rampage in the locality vandalising houses and torching vehicles parked outside the houses along the way. Local residents formed a human chain to protect the Hanuman temple in the locality, which averted a major communal clash.
The mob that reached the DJ Halli police station broke the window panes and furniture, threw flower pots and damaged the police vans and cars.
The police rushed in additional squads to bring the situation under control as the mob started hurling stones and petrol bombs at the cops. The police resorted to lathi-charge and threw tear gas shells to disperse the mob.
"A mob attacked our house and hurled stones at us. They barged into our house, vandalised the house, burnt all documents and valuables. My family escaped by crossing over to the neighbour's house from our terrace. I have suffered huge loss of Rs 50 lakh," said Pavan, father of Naveen and brother-in-law of the MLA.
BJP blames appeasement politics
State Tourism Minister C.T. Ravi blamed "seven decades of appeasement politics" for the incident. "Some people feel they are above law. It is the result of seven decades of appeasement politics. How did the mob get access to rods, machetes, petrol bombs? The attack on police, presspersons and the common man is condemnable," said Ravi.
Leader of the opposition Siddaramaiah, who condemned the violence, said that the incident that provoked the violence was also condemnable. "Both the violence and the trigger for the violence is condemnable. I appeal to both the Hindu and Muslim communities to maintain peace. Experience has taught us during any communal clash, it is the innocents who end up suffering. The leaders of both communities sit across and sort out the issue," said Siddaramaiah.
"The attack on the police station is highly condemnable. The police force need not get demoralised due to this incident. The police should bring the culprits to book. A small negligence on the part [of] police can lead to a major disaster," said Siddaramaiah.
