Violence Erupts In Bengaluru: 2 Dead As Irate Muslim Mob Angered By A Facebook Post Attempt To Burn Down Congress MLA Srinivas Murthy’s House 

At least two people were killed during the violence that erupted in parts of East Bengaluru after Muslim mobs took to the streets and attempted to set on fire the residence of Congress MLA Akhand Srinivasa Murthy over an Facebook post that they deemed derogatory to Mohammed whom they revere as their Prophet.

Angered over what they alleged was an offensive post by P Naveen, a close relative of Srinivasa Murthy, Muslims mobs gathered outside his residence at Kaval Byrasandra and attempted to torch it. However police personnel foiled it. Few policemen sustained injuries as violent mob pelted stones at them.

Srinivasa Murthy, who is the sitting legislator from the reseved Pulikeshinagar constituency, escaped unhurt.

The mob, which by now swelled to few hundreds, went on rampage pelting stones at police vehicles and torched about 15 vehicles. They attacked a police station and tried to set it on fire. Police resorted to lathi charge and later fired tear gas in an attempt to disperse the mob.

Despite the police action, the mob intensified their attack on police personnel and vehicles. Police had to finally forced to open fire near KG Halli police station. Two people died during the police firing. 60 police personnel have also sustained injuries.

Bengaluru Police Commissioner Kamal Pant rushed to the spot in an attempt to pacify the rioters but efforts yielded no results as mobs continued to indulge in violence. M

Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai then issue a stern warning to rioters and said that police has been provided a free hand to contain the violence. "Issue to be probed but vandalism is not the solution. Additional forces deployed. Action will be taken against miscreants," he said.

"A Facebook post by my sister's son has gone viral. I have nothing to do with the post. The post is said to be against some particular community and I have asked the police to arrest the person who has put up the offensive post," said Srinivas Murthy.

Few hours later Srinivasa Murthy posted a video message and appealed to the community members to not resort to violence. "I am appealing to my Muslim brethren that we should not resort to violence for the fault committed by some miscreants. There is no need to fight. We all are brothers. We will get the person punished as per law. We will also be with you. I appeal to the Muslim friends to be calm," he said in a video message.

As the violence escalated, the MLA’s relative Naveen claimed that his Facebook account was hacked and appealed to the mob to stop rioting. He appeared before the police soon after violence broke out. He was later arrested.