Arsonists not from my constituency: MLA Srinivasa Murthy

BENGALURU: The violence on Tuesday night in Bengaluru East, in which three people lost their lives in police firing and several others including some media persons and over 50 policemen were injured, was “pre-planned”, according top official sources.

“The speed, the scale and preparedness for the violence and outrage that the mobsters had unleashed at the DJ Halli police station, surrounding areas and Pulakeshi Nagar MLA Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy’s house in Kaval Byrasandra is disproportionate to the provocation behind the violence – a highly objectionable post by his nephew P Naveen.

It was as if the rioters were prepared and waiting for an opportune moment. It was like an outburst of pent-up anger, which only needed a trigger,” said sources on condition of anonymity. “The DJ Halli police were informed about accused P Naveen’s objectionable post on Facebook by someone around 7pm and even as they were in the process of informing their senior officers; around 7.30 pm,

Muzzamil Pasha of the Secular Democratic Party of India (SDPI), along with a group of around 15-20 people, walked into the police station pretending to be a peace broker. Within minutes, the DJ Halli police station was gheraoed and damaged by hundreds of arsonists.

The police were unprepared for the scale of violence. The arson continued till the police firing started around 10.30pm,” said the officer. “The police are sieving through WhatsApp messages of the arrested to verify the mastermind behind the attack. We are also checking Naveen’s social media posts,” he added. 

Haven’t spoken to nephew since decade: MLA

The MLA told The New Indian Express that soon after Naveen’s Facebook post became viral, a huge mob of 3,000 to 4,000 people gheraoed and torched his house in Kaval Byrasandra. “None of them were from my constituency. They were outsiders and had come prepared with iron rods and fuel. This was a well-planned attack. They didn’t give us any time to call the police.

I don’t rule out political reasons behind it,” he said. Srinivasa Murthy, a popular politician, said he has not been on talking terms with Naveen for a decade now. But Naveen’s photograph is present in all hoardings of Murthy in Kaval Byrasandra. “He is 25 years old and unemployed. He maybe exploiting his uncle’s image for his own vested interests,” said a source in the know of the local politics. Naveen got married two months ago.

Devara Jeevana Halli and Kadugondana Halli, the two commercial and residential areas, are the communal nerve centres of Bengaluru. “The city police were on high alert on the eve of the Ram Janmabhoomi foundation-laying ceremony in Ayodhya on August 5, but fortunately, the day passed off peacefully without a single incident.

Tuesday’s violence happened exactly a week later. DJ Halli and KG Halli, along with some other areas, have been on alert since August 5, 2019, when the Centre abrogated Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir followed by anti-CAA and NRC protests. DJ Halli was the venue of the Bilal Bagh protest on the lines of Shaheen Bagh in Delhi,” said another officer. That the Popular Front of India (PFI) and SDPI have a strong presence in DJ Halli and KG Halli is not a secret. “ The SDPI is trying to strengthen its vote base in the area, but not everybody supports them. The police depend on local people for ground-level information,” he added.

NIGHT OF HORROR

Widespread violence breaks out in Kaval Byrasandra, dozens of people attack the MLA’s residence on
Tuesday night over a sacrilegious Facebook post

Mobsters torch the house of the MLA, allegedly using petrol bombs. P Naveen, the MLA’s nephew,
surrenders before the police claiming that his Facebook account is hacked. Naveen’s house is
ransacked too

Thousands gather in front of DJ Halli and KG Halli police stations. Set DJ Halli police station on fire

As mob continues its rampage by torching police vehicles and pelting stones on houses in KG Halli,
the police open fire at the mob. Three are killed

SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS UNDER SCANNER
The accused P Naveen (25) had allegedly posted a sacrilegious post on his Facebook page, which was deleted soon after it went viral and led to Tuesday violence. According to some unconfirmed reports, Naveen had posted the objectionable material allegedly in reaction to a derogatory post against a Hindu deity which was posted on social media some time back. The police have, however, refused to comment on the matter. “We are investigating the social media posts of Naveen and some others, who have been arrested for their involvement in the riots,” said a police officer.