Bengaluru: Section 144 imposed in city after three dead in violent clash over social media post

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Bengaluru, Aug 12: Section 144 has been imposed in Bengaluru and curfew has been imposed in DJ Halli and KG Halli police station limits after violence broke out in the area over social media post.

As many as 110 people have been arrested in connection with the violence in the city and over 60 cops have been injured in the deadly violence in which three people have died.

Bengaluru Police Commissioner Kamal Pant said, "Accused has been Naveen arrested for sharing derogatory posts on social media." It was alleged by the mob that the post was made by a relative of Congress MLA Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy.

The mob gathered near the residence of the Congress MLA on Tuesday night and vandalised the house along with vehicles that were parked outside. The mob then went on to vandalise the nearby police station believing the cops are hiding the accused man who shared the post inside the station.

The police teams that tried to contain the violence also bore the brunt of the mob as their vehicles were damaged, eye-witnesses said.

Police sources said a person said to be a close relative of Murthy allegedly shared a social media post that enraged members of a community.

Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said riots and arson are against law and warned the rioters that he has given police a free hand to contain the violence.

Later, MLA Murthy appealed to the community members to not resort to violence.

"I am appealing to my Muslim brethren that we should not resort to violence for the fault committed by some miscreants. There is no need to fight. We all are brothers. We will get the person punished as per law. We will also be with you. I appeal to the Muslim friends to be calm," he said in a video message.

Congress MLA and former minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan said the violence was unfortunate.

"I am hopeful that police will take action against all those who are responsible for this. I also request everyone to stay calm and maintain peace in the area," Khan tweeted.

After learning about the incident, the Bengaluru Police Commissioner Kamal Pant had rushed to the spot but his intervention too did not stop the rioters.

Later, the Bengaluru police tweeted that it had to lathi-charged the mob, lob the tear gas and finally open fire to control them.

The police said the culprits of Tuesday''s violence and arson will not be spared.