Some hundred Muslim mob went on a rampage and extreme violence in Bengaluru on Tuesday evening over a Facebook post that was allegedly derogatory to Prophet Mohammad.
According to the reports, the Muslim mob hit the streets near DJ Halli and KG Halli police station areas on Tuesday evening and attacked a Congress MLA’s house after one of his relatives had allegedly made a derogatory Facebook post.
Mob had gathered around the residence of Congress MLA Akhanda Srinivasamurthy at around 7:00 PM on Tuesday. Congress MLA Akhanda Srinivasamurthy represents Pulikeshinagar constituency which is reserved for the Scheduled Caste (SC). The Muslim mob, armed with sticks, iron rods, sharp metal objects and other weapons, went berserk and barged into the house of the MLA.
The angry Muslim pelted stones and began to torch vehicles, ATMs, shops near the locality while protesting against the alleged derogatory post made by one of the relatives of Dalit Congress MLA Akhanda Shrinivasamurthy. Social media posts of few people involved in the mob violence indicate that the riots could have been pre-planned as calls for the mobilisation of Muslims were allegedly made on social media platforms on Tuesday evening.
Further, the mob also set two cars on fire. The violent mobsters forced the shopkeepers to down shutters in Pulakeshinagar, Bharatinagar, Commercial Street and Tannery Road.
DJ Halli, along with Tannery Road, Shampura, Davis Road, Frazer Town and Coles Park are one of the most sensitive areas in Bengaluru city. The majority of the population in these localities are Muslims. The Bilal Bagh area in DJ Halli had become the anti-CAA and NRC protest site on the lines of Shaheen Bagh in Delhi.
The Muslim mob was seen raising Islamic slogans like ‘Allah-hu-Akbar’ and ‘Nara-e-Taqbeer’ outside the police station.
The mob even attacked media persons, who were capturing the violent incident on their phone cameras and Suvarna News journalists have been injured. The cameras and mobiles were snatched and damaged completely.
As the DCP Bheemashankar Guled visited the spot to take control of the situation, the angry mob stopped him in front of the police station gate and also pelted stones at him. Even as the police personnel were escorting the DCP to a safe location, the mob attacked the car and damaged it. They also assaulted the driver of the vehicle.
The Muslim mob, armed with all dangerous weapons and petrol, took control of the area and sealed five to six crosses barring access to police personnel and fire and emergency service personnel. The Muslim mob did not allow fire engines to enter the street and douse the fire.
Pic: EPS