Bengaluru violence: Rioters to be made to pay for damage to public property, says Karnataka govt

Bengaluru: Police stand guard after a mob vandalised a police station following a social media post by a relative of a MLA, in Bengaluru, Wednesday morning, Aug. 12, 2020. (PTI Photo)

The Bharatiya Janata Party government in Karnataka has decided to conduct an inquiry into the Tuesday night violence in Bengaluru that left three dead and over 50 cops injured. State Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that the government also decided to recover the losses from the rioters.

“…There are National Human Rights Commission guidelines for such a situation, as per which the inquiry will be conducted by the district executive magistrate,” he said.

“We have come to a decision as per the Supreme Court order that when such riots take place and properties are damaged, the loss has to be recovered from those who have caused the damage. I have given orders to initiate all the measures to recover losses from those who have caused the damage,” Bommai added.

The minister said that buses, vehicles and properties were burnt at the DJ Halli and KG Halli police station limits on Tuesday night. He said that there is media and CCTV footage which will be used to identify the rioters and recoveries will be done.

At least three people were killed in violent clashes in Bengaluru late Tuesday night over an alleged derogatory social media post shared by Congress MLA Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy’s relative. The incident took place between DJ Halli and KG Halli areas.The rioters caused widespread damage to public properties and torched hundreds of vehicles.

According to Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Kamal Pant, around 60 policemen sustained stone injuries during the clash. The mob entered a basement area where 200-250 vehicles were set on fire. Also, two vehicles of DCPs were overturned and burnt by the rioters.

“Police jeeps, buses, and other vehicles parked in the area were torched by the mob,” he said.

Meanwhile, Bommai said that the government was considering banning organisations like the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its political arm, Socialist Democratic Party of India (SDPI). The government suspects the role of SDPI in Tuesday riots. According to police, Muzamil Pasha, an SDPI leader, has been arrested in connection with the violence.