In a move that will send a strong message to rioters and mobsters, the Karnataka government on Monday decided invoke the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and also book the accused who unleashed violence in Bengaluru last Tuesday under Goonda Act.
At a high-level meeting called by Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa which was attended by Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Chief Secretary T.M. Vijaya Bhasker, Advocate General Prabhuling Navadagi, DGP Praveen Sood and City Police Commissioner Kamal Pant it was resolved to deal with the perpetrators of violence with iron fist.
“Stringent action has been initiated against the culprits of DJ Halli and KG Halli violent incidents including invoking of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA Act). A Special Investigation Team has already been formed to conduct a detailed investigation in the matter and a team of three special prosecutors will be appointed for speedy trial of the cases. SIT will consider invoking Goonda Act if warranted,” the chief minister tweeted.
The arson and fire in DJ Halli, KG Halli and adjoining localities between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning took place over a derogatory social media post allegedly posted by P. Naveen, a relative of Pulakeshinagar Congress MLA R. Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy.
The MLA’s residence and a police station at DJ Halli were torched by rioters who also set many police and private vehicles afire, and looted the belongings of the legislator and his sister.
Sources who attended the meeting said, “It was resolved in the meeting to approach the High Court for appointment of Claim Commissioner as per the order of the Supreme Court for the purposes of assessment of damages caused to private and public property and for recovery from the culprits. The team of three special public prosecutors would be appointed for conducting the cases. The invocation of Goonda Act will also be considered by the SIT in the cases wherever the provisions are attracted.”
Meanwhile the total number of arrests in the cases has now reached 350 with 11 FIRs being filed so far. Police are investigating all angles and also using tech tools to identify culprits. Sources said over 40,000 phone calls were made in about 5 hours between 7.20 pm on Tuesday and 2 am on Wednesday in the riot hit area and this was unprecedented.