The situation in Hubballi in north Karnataka remained tense Monday even as the police rounded up over 80 people including an AIMIM leader for rioting and stone-pelting that took place a day before on April 17.
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai Monday said arrests have been made and an investigation is ongoing in connection with the violence over the WhatsApp social media post. "Action will be taken against those guilty in accordance with the law," he told reporters.
Home Minister Araga Jnanendra, who reviewed the situation, said the incident looked pre-planned as the miscreants had stock-piled stones much before the incident and police were probing this angle.
"We will not tolerate such incidents, no matter which religion they (the perpetrators) belong to. Our police have arrested an accused and the rioters," he said.
The minister informed that ADGP (law and order) Pratap Reddy, who visited the riot-hit areas in the evening, will head investigations into the incident. Eight teams have been formed to look into six cases registered in connection with the incident.
As per the FPJ report, a mob went on the rampage and threw stones at police personnel and a police station expressing anger over an allegedly derogatory social-media post late Saturday night.
Twelve cops were injured and seven of their vehicles bore the brunt of the attack. Police resorted to lathi-charge and lobbed tear-gas shells to bring the situation under control. The youth who posted the message has been arrested.
The violence in Hubballi triggered a war of words between the BJP and Congress. BJP claimed that it was an act backed by the opposition party which wanted to disrupt the law and order on the lines of the riots that rocked Bengaluru in 2020 in which a Congress leader was allegedly involved.
Congress accused the ruling party of trying to use emotive and Hindutva issues to divert attention from corruption involving the sta
