Violence broke out in east Bengaluru after a Facebook post by a relative of Congress MLA Akhanda Srinivas Murthy allegedly insulted Prophet Mohammed, The News Minute reported early Wednesday. Latest developments say 110 people have been arrested in connection with the riots.
The report, quoting the police, said that a mob gathered outside the KG Halli police station demanding the arrest of one Naveen, who is Murthy’s nephew. Naveen was subsequently arrested. Earlier, a mob also gathered outside the MLAs home and protested, setting fire to vehicles and not letting fire engines come in to douse the flames.
While Murthy wasn’t there at the time of the incident, he shared a video on social media, requesting for peace that was shared by Indian Express journalist Ralph Alex Arakal.
Meanwhile, a Times of India report added that the police was also attacked, and Bengaluru Police Commissioner Kamal Pant was attacked with stones. Both protestors and police were injured in the incident. The report further stated that two people were killed when police opened fire, burst tear gas shells, and resorted to lathi-charging the mob.
According to an NDTV report, Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai released a video saying people shouldn’t take law into their own hands, adding that police forces had been deployed and had been given a free hand to bring the situation under control.
This is the second major riot witnessed this year following the east Delhi riots that had turned communal after people protested the CAA and NRC in the national capital. At the time, the Delhi police had taken on the mobs, and had even entered college premises including libraries and hostels to assault students, under the impression that they were protestors.
