Mangaluru police firing: Karnataka govt decides on CID, magisterial probe into violence

Bengaluru, Dec 23: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Monday said the state government has decided to conduct both a CID and magisterial enquiry into the violent protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act in Mangaluru last week, resulting in two deaths.

"Regarding the Mangaluru incident, the Home Minister (Basavaraj Bommai) and I have decided that both CID and magisterial inquiry should be conducted, and orders will be issued either on Monday or Tuesday," Yediyurappa said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, "We have made an honest effort towards getting it (incident) inquired comprehensively. I have also ordered strict action against those who unnecessarily created chaos there and tried to barge into the police station (in Mangaluru) and attempted to take away the arms that were there," he said.

Blaming the ruling BJP for the violence and accusing police of inciting it, several senior Congress leaders, including former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, had demanded a high-level probe by a sitting High Court judge into the incident.

Two persons were killed in a police firing in Mangaluru on last Thursday as the protest against the CAA had turned violent, following which the city was brought under curfew and mobile internet service was suspended. Hoping that peace and tranquillity would continue across the state, Yediyurappa said those who were speaking against CAA were not able to or ready to say how would the Act would affect minority Muslim brothers. He said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it clear that no Muslim brother of the country will get affected by it (CAA), yet the Congress and others are indulging in a conspiracy of creating unnecessary confusion.

People have understood that and they will teach a lesson." Different parts of the country witnessed violent protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill which was passed by Parliament and given assent by the President recently. According to the Act, members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities, who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014, and facing religious persecution there, would not be treated as illegal immigrants but given Indian citizenship.

The Act says refugees of the six communities would be given Indian citizenship after residing in India for five years, instead of 11 earlier.