Bengaluru, Aug 12 (UNI) Three people were killed allegedly in police firing late on Tuesday night when violence broke out in Devarajeevanahalli and Kadugondanahalli areas here over a communal social media post.
The post was allegedly shared by Congress MLA R Akhanda Srinivasamurthy's nephew Naveen P.
According to official sources, a group of people gathered near DJ Halli police station, demanding the arrest of the accused.
They allegedly pelted stones and set the MLA's house and vehicles nearby on fire. The MLA was not inside the house.
The police force used tear gas shells to control the mob and took Naveen to the police station.
As per sources, the mob then gathered outside the police station where they believed Naveen was and demanded he be handed over to them.
Eventually, the police station was gheraoed by the mob of around 1,000, trapping dozens of policemen inside, sources said.
The unruly mob also torched the vehicles near the vicinity of the police station.
On seeing the situation going out of control, Karnataka State Reserve Police intervened and was left with little option but to open fire as violence started spreading to nearby areas, sources further said.
The situation was later brought under the control, police said. Scores of people were also injured in the violence.
On Wednesday, over 150 people were arrested on the charges of disrupting the peace and causing the violence, police said.
The administration imposed a curfew in KG Haloli and DJ Halli localities in East Bengaluru to maintain law and order situation.
Additional troops were also deployed as a precautionary measure.
Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who was in Udupi, said police were forced to fire at the unruly mob to bring the situation under control.
Stating that stringent action would be taken in an unbiased manner, the minister said, he has already spoken to high level officials and given the police full powers to maintain peace.
Congress MLA Mr Srinivasamurthy, whose house was torched and damaged by the agitated mob, made a appeal for peace while assuring the masses to bring culprits to the book.
The Congress denied the accusation that Naveen was associated with the grand-old party and was its worker.
Addressing media persons in Bengaluru, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president D K Shivakumar claimed the accused was instead a BJP worker and had supported the saffron party in past.
He predicted that the city police could have averted the violence by registering the complaint against the accused when the alleged post was shared.
Opposition Congress leader Siddaramaiah urged Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa to restrict several BJP ministers, who are making 'provocative' statements on the issue.
However, BJP MP and Union Minister Suresh Angadi said that the violence appeared to be a conspiracy to disturb peace.
It has been aimed at to bring a bad name to the government, he alleged.
If violence does not come under control, police should use force and shoot those involved in it, he commented.
BJP MP Tejasvi Surya urged the chief minister recover losses caused to public property during the violence by confiscating properties of rioters.
Take a cue from Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government and attach properties of rioters involved in acts of arson, Mr Surya said.
He alleged that Social Democratic Party of India and Popular Front of India were involved in the violence and asked Mr Yediyurappa to thoroughly investigate the matter.
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