'Meeting of cyber crime experts to be convened soon': K'taka Minister on Bengaluru violence

With prohibitory orders clamped in riot-hit areas of the city being extended till August 18, the Karnataka government on Sunday said it would soon hold a meeting to discuss ways to tackle social media posts that can cause unrest in the society, in the backdrop of recent violence here.

Bengaluru Police Commissioner Kamal Pant, in his order said there is a ban on more than two persons gathering at any place, carrying any kind of weapon and convening any public meeting.

Violators would be prosecuted, he said.

As a precautionary measure, the city police has extended the prohibitory orders till August 18.

Three people were killed after police opened fire to quell a mob that went on a rampage in D J Halli and adjoining areas on Tuesday night over an inflammatory social media post allegedly put out by P Naveen, a relative of Congress MLA R Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy.

The MLAs residence and a police station at D J Halli were torched by the rioters, who also set many police and private vehicles afire, and looted the belongings of the legislator and those of his sister.

The police said so far five cases have been registered in Devara Jeevanahalli and Kadugondanahalli and 264 people have been arrested in connection with rioting.

No juveniles have been arrested in connection with this.

Speaking to reporters here, Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said, "In view of inflammatory posts on Facebook and WhatsApp among others, I have decided to hold a meeting with cyber crime experts next week." Noting that inflammatory social media posts causing disturbance in society was a nationwide issue, he said he would meet technical experts and find out what the social media companies can do, what measures they have taken now and what steps they can take in future.

Meanwhile, state Forest Minister Anand Singh said MLA Murthy deserved more security since the riots targeting him were 'pre-planned one.' "Once the investigation is completed, we will get to know about the background and conspiracy behind the riots, but security should have been provided.

"We have heard that it (riot) was a pre-planned one (riots in DJ Halli in Bengaluru)," Singh told reporters in Davangere replying to a question on Bengaluru riots.

The Congress has been accusing the BJP government, especially the Home Minister, of its 'intelligence failure' to contain the riots and delay in taking action on time, which had put the life of their MLA and his family at risk.

The BJP also targetted the Congress for allegedly backing the rioters and not its own MLA.

"The Congress says that the innocent people are being arrested. Who is innocent? The man who is sitting next to me (Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy). He should get justice," BJP state vice-president and Mahadevapura MLA Aravind Limbavali said at a press conference at Murthy's residence.

He was referring to Congress state chief D K Shivakumar's statement on Saturday that the police were serving notices to people to 'terrorise' them and forcing them to give a statement favourable to them.

Limbavali alleged that the Congress leaders have demanded the release of innocent people arrested in connection with the case.

Reacting to this, Shivakumar issued a statement, saying his party has no links to the riots and accused the ruling BJP of creating 'confusion' among people to divert public attention from its alleged failure to avert the violence.