Mob came prepared for arson: Cops

BENGALURU: The rioting in east Bengaluru on Tuesday night may have been a planned act of violence rather than a spontaneous response to a provocative Facebook post, investigators have deduced on the basis of preliminary findings that suggest the mob came armed with inflammable substances to indulge in arson.
The Forensic Science Laboratory has found traces of petrol, diesel, kerosene and paint thinner in samples collected from 20 of the 35 police vehicles set ablaze by the rioters, more than 200 of whom have been arrested.
“Prima facie, these substances were used to set fire to vehicles. This shows the mob had come prepared,” an investigating officer said.
While reconstructing the events, investigators found that the mob had “strategically blocked” a Karnataka State Reserve Police van before setting it ablaze. The KSRP team opened fire when things got out of hand, an officer said.
Meanwhile, a fourth person connected to the violence died in a hospital on Saturday. Sayyad Nadeem, 24, a resident of KG Halli, was injured by a tear gas shell, said police.