Bengaluru violence: Congress Corporator Irshad Begum's husband nabbed, 206 detained so far

In the aftermath of the Bengaluru violence that ensued on August 11, the Bengaluru Police has arrested 60 more people in connection with the violence in DJ Halli and KJ Halli areas, said Sandeep Patil, Bengaluru Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime). With this, the total number of people arrested has risen to 206 including the arrest of Kaleem Pasha, husband of Congress Corporator Irshad Begum from Nagwar ward.

Expressing concern over the arrests by the Bengaluru Police, Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda has urged the police to arrest only those involved in the violence, adding that innocent people should not be detained.

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Bengaluru Police investigation

Bengaluru Police has formed four teams to investigate the violence that broke out in the city on August 11, over a "derogatory" social media post by the nephew of a Congress MLA. The Karnataka government had deployed Rapid Action Force (RAF) on Thursday in the sensitive areas of Bengaluru, after extending Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) in areas under DJ Halli and KG Halli police station limits till August 15.

Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Thursday that a District Magistrate will hold an inquiry into the violence that killed three people and injured nearly 60 police personnel.

SDPI hand in the riots

Republic Media Network accessed CCTV footage that showed the attack was preplanned by the SDPI (Social Democratic Party of India) and part of a conspiracy to attack the MLA's house and the police station.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Dr  C N Ashwathnarayan, on Wednesday, said that the government has taken steps to ban SDPI and its other fronts PFI, in an exclusive conversation with Republic TV. He added that SDPI has taken advantage of the incendiary Facebook post posted by a Congress worker to incite riots. Lashing out at the SDPI, he said that the main accused in the incident was the lone SDPI corporator in Bengaluru. 

Bengaluru riots

At around 8.30 pm on Tuesday, a riot-like situation was witnessed between the KJ Halli and DJ Halli police station limits in East Bengaluru. A huge mob gathered outside the residence of Congress MLA Akhanda Srinivasamurthy demanding immediate action against his relative Naveen who allegedly wrote a communal post on social media.

Soon, the police resorted to the use of force to contain the violence. By the time the situation was brought under control at around 1 am on Wednesday, three people were killed, nearly 60 police personnel including DCP Bhimashankar Guled were injured and over 300 vehicles were set ablaze.

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