Probe reveals SDPI role in violence: Basavaraj Bommai

Bengaluru: Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday said the ongoing police investigation into the Tuesday night rioting in the city had revealed the role of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), and four of its members were under arrest.

"The inquiry is underway and new aspects are coming out. I can't reveal much now. Things will be made known in the days to come. But with video footage and other evidence, the role of the SDPI has come to the fore. We're going deeper with the investigation. Several SDPI office bearers have been held," Bommai told reporters.

According to Bommai, the four SDPI members under arrest include Muzammil Pasha, the party's district secretary.

"We have also seen from some video footage that SDPI workers came into KG Halli and DJ Halli from neighbouring areas. This also we're investigating," Bommai said, adding that authorities were also culling out details on cases against the SDPI in Mysuru and Mangaluru.

The SDPI has denied any role in the violence. In fact, SDPI Karnataka president Elyas Muhammad Thumbe said Pasha was helping the police calm the mob. "As always, the SDPI is being dragged just to cover-up police inaction against blasphemy and failure of intelligence," he said.

The minister vowed that the government "will not rest" till the case is cracked. "We will go deep into this conspiracy regardless of who is behind it," he said. "At the local level, we're looking at all angles such as rivalry between and within political parties...everything that led to this incident, we will investigate. Whoever is at fault, we will take action even if it is an elected representative," he added.

Three people died and five injured in police firing late on Tuesday night when an angry mob ran amok because of an inflammatory social media post concerning Prophet Mohammed. The post was made by Pulakeshinagar MLA Akhanda Srinivas Murthy's nephew P Naveen. Murthy's house was torched and the KG Halli police station attacked during the rioting. Over 140 people have been arrested so far.

In a public appeal, Bommai asked citizens to maintain law and order. "The police are risking their lives to control the situation coupled with the Covid-19 pandemic," he said.