Bengaluru Riots: SDPI Leader Muzamil Pasha Arrested, Karnataka Minister Alleges 'Pre-Planned Violence' By Outfit

Bengaluru Riots: SDPI leader Muzamil Pasha has been arrested by Bengaluru Police over his alleged role in orchestrating the deadly mob violence in DJ Halli police station area.

Bengaluru: Police and residents walk past charred remains of vehicles vandalised by a mob over a social media post, allegedly by a relative of a Congress MLA, in Bengaluru, Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2020. Atleast three people were killed after police opened fire to quell a mob. (PTI Photo/Shailendra Bhojak)(PTI12-08-2020_000102B)(PTI12-08-2020_000166B)

Bengaluru Riots: SDPI (Social Democratic Party of India), an outfit of Popular Front of India (PFI), has accepted its role in the worst form of violence that tore across the heart of Bengaluru on Tuesday night, triggered by a derogatory social media post aimed at Prophet Muhammad. Its leader Muzamil Pasha has been arrested by Bengaluru Police over his alleged role in orchestrating the deadly mob violence in DJ Halli police station area. The party has not only accepted its role in the mob violence, but has also issued a warning of worse retaliation if any action which is derogatory to the community is repeated. SDPI was at the fore in engineering various anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests across country. It is to be noted that Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan had accused the party of using anti-CAA protest for creating division among people. The convener of the outfit Mujahid Pasha made the announcement. Angered by the social media post, hundreds of people, mostly linked to SDPI went on a rampage and set DJ Halli police station on fire. They torched many police and private vehicles, smashed the belongings of MLA Murthy and those of his sister. An ATM was smashed into pieces. To disperse the mob, police resorted to lathi charge, lobbed tear gas shells and later opened fire, killing three people. Karnataka Minister Says 'Pre-Planned' Riot by SDPI "I think it was a planned riot. Within an hour of a post on social media thousands of people gathered and damaged 200-300 vehicles and the MLA's residence. We will take serious action," Karnataka Minister CT Ravi was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. "It was an organised incident, not an isolated incident. SDPI is behind it. They provoked people. SDPI is famous for rioting," he said. Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said the "attack on the residence of MLA Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy and the DJ Halli police station and riot are condemnable." "Already given directions to initiate stringent action against the criminals (and) the government has initiated all the measures to contain violence," he said. The attack on police, media persons and common citizens was unpardonable. The government will not tolerate such instigation and mischief, he added. What happened in Bengaluru: At least three people were killed after police opened fire to quell a mob that went on a rampage, irked over a social media post allegedly put out by a Congress legislator's relative, as a city locality witnessed arson andviolence. "Three people have died (in police firing)," Bengaluru Police Commissioner Kamal Pant told PTI. Further, 110 people have been arrested in connection with the incident at Pulakeshi Nagar here. Scores of persons, including around 50 policemen, were injured in the violence that erupted on Tuesday night and continued till the wee hours of Wednesday, apparently prompted by the 'communally sensitive' online post. The Congress MLA's residence and a police station were among those targeted by the angry mob, prompting the government to issue a stern warning that rioting and law and order issues will not be tolerated.