No delay in filing FIR, crowd wanted police to handover Naveen to them: Bommai

Team Udayavani, Aug 14, 2020, 5:14 PM IST

Bengaluru: Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday defended the police while rejecting the charge that delay in lodging FIR and arresting Naveen, led to the violence in Bengaluru’s DJ Halli and KG halli area on Tuesday night.

P Naveen, a relative of Pulakeshinagar MLA R Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy of Congress had allegedly posted an inflammatory social media hurting Muslim sentiments.

Speaking to reporters here following a meeting with Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, Bommai said local level “political differences” and SDPI’s larger conspiracy to disturb law and order were among the reasons behind the violence here.

Giving a detailed account of the turn of events on the day of the incident Bommai said, “Around 5:40 pm (on Tuesday) Naveen posted the inflammatory post, one Firoz Pasha filed a complaint at D J Halli police station between 7.30-7.45 pm and at 7.45 pm FIR was filed. It is a public document, which can be verified. So the allegation that there was a delay in filing FIR is a complete lie, and an attempt to mislead the case.”

Further, around 8.30 pm the crowd started gathering in a large number there and the inspector had clearly told them that FIR has been filed and Naveen was being tracked and would be arrested shortly, Bommai said.

“But, the crowd wanted the police to handover Naveen to them, which was not possible and there is no room for it under law…..so despite knowing the whereabouts of Naveen, for his safety he was not brought to the police station,” he said. About 9.15-9.30 pm thousands of people gathered near the police station despite the FIR having been registered and police were engaged in controlling them.

“At the same time, they engaged police in a similar fashion at K G halli also, and in the meantime they attacked MLA and his relative’s house,” the Minister said.

Around 206 people have been arrested so far in connection with the mob violence, he said. The arrested also includes Khaleem Pasha, the husband of city Corporator Irshaad Begum.

“Political differences there (in Pulakeshinagar) and matters related to previous election, also upcoming election (to city civic body) and related matters are all involved in it (violence),” Bommai said. Along with political differences, ”conspiracy” by the Social Democractic Party of India (SDPI) to disturb the law and order situation was also behind the violence by a large number of people protesting a communally sensitive social media post.

“I have already said that we are deeply investigating the SDPI’s role and along with that the role of local corporators is all coming out one after the other, investigations are on,” he added.

There are reports that local politics with an eye on coming polls to the city civic body Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike might have also added to the fury, pointing at alleged differences between local corporators and MLA Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy, who had joined Congress from JD(S). Reports have also said SDPI was keen to gain ground in the locality, that has a considerable Muslim population.

Responding to a question regarding this, Bommai said it had come to light from investigation so far about differences within the Congress and also differences between Congress and the SDPI locally. “The split and friction that was caused during the previous election… also upcoming elections. Along with this the larger conspiracy of SDPI – violence and targeting police stations all (these) involved. We are investigating this further,” the Home Minister said.

Noting that 60 people arrested on Thursday night were being investigated and their background looked into, Bommai said this operation will continue. “We have given directions to officers to take all steps to put a permanent end to anti-social elements and their activities,” he said.

Responding to a question on Congress MLA B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan announcing Rs 5 lakh compensation to the families of the three who died in police firing, Bommai said it was a matter concerning an individual and he would not like to comment. On Khan’s comments calling them ”innocents”, the Home Minister said “His stand shows in whose favour he is…. despite him (Khan) requesting for peace that night, those people did not hear him, things happened in front of him.”