Bengaluru : Three people were killed in police firing and over 150 arrested, after violence broke out in the eastern part of Bengaluru on Tuesday night over an allegedly provocative Facebook message about Prophet Muhammad, posted by a kin of Congress MLA, Srinivas Murthy.
Protesters initially surrounded Murthy’s house in the city and set vehicles in the vicinity ablaze. Police used lathi-charge, tear gas and firing to disperse the agitated crowd. Mob also attacked a police station where 24 four-wheelers and 200 bikes were set on fire. Protesters blocked fire engines and a few media persons too were injured in the clash.
The Congress MLA came up on social media Live appealing to the people to maintain peace. “…I request our Muslim friends, let’s not fight for mistake of some miscreants. We are all brothers. We will get the person responsible punished by law. I will also stand by you,” he said in a video message.Another Congress MLA, Dinesh Gundu Rao, also appealed to the people not to take law into their hands.
Soon into the incdent, Police Commissioner Kamal Pant took to twitter saying ”Accused Naveen has been arrested for posting derogatory posts.”
A curfew has been imposed in the surrounding area in a bid restrict movement.
