Violence post-Rajkumar's death: over 1000 held

Bangalore, Apr 18: The city police has arrested over 1,000 anti-social elements in connection with the violence and arson unleashed during the funeral procession of Kannada Matinee idol Rajkumar here last week.

City Additional Commissioner (Law and Order) Bipin Gopalakrishna told UNI here today that the police were also on the look out for some more miscreants involved in the violent activities, including torching of vehicles and damaging of both private and public properties.

He also informed that elaborate security arrangements had been made for the meeting, organised by the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce at National High School Gounds in the city tomorrow, to condole the death of Mr Rajkumar. Several dignitaries, including Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, would be participating in the meeting.

Mr Gopalakrishna said the state had pressed into service four companies of Rapid Action Force (RAF), 70 companies of Karnataka State Reserve Police and 35 companies of City Armed Reserve police force, besides the city police, to ensure that the meeting passed off peacefully.

He said the RAF had conducted route-march for two days in the city to instill confidence among the public.

Mr Gopalakrishna said the department had submitted a factual report to the government on the unsavoury incidents that took place in the aftermath of Mr Rajkumar's death. However, he declined to divulge the contents of the report.

It may be recalled that violence and arson marred the funeral procession of Mr Rajkumar during which one police constable was beaten to death by miscreants and as many as seven civilians were killed in police firing. Over 250 people were reported injured.

Taking serious note of the violent activities, Mr Kumaraswamy had ordered a high-level inquiry by the city police into the incidents.

UNI