Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday handed over 25 new motorbikes to police personnel who have lost their two-wheelers during the riots in East Bengaluru on August 11.
During the city’s worst violence in two decades, a large crowd gathered outside DJ Halli and KG Halli police stations. Police personnel patrolling in other areas rushed to the scene to control the crowd, parking their service motorbikes outside. The situation soon turned violent with the crowd setting the police station buildings and parked vehicles on fire. As many as 146 vehicles were destroyed in the arson attack, including 25 patrol motorbikes.
Since the police department could not claim the insurance due to technical reasons, the patrolmen didn’t have motorbikes for the job. The matter was brought to the notice of the police top brass. TVS Motor Company subsequently came forward to donate the bikes under a CSR initiative, said DCP (East) S D Sharanappa.
Bommai, along with state police chief Praveen Sood and city police chief Kamal Pant, handed over the bikes to the police in a programme themed around ‘we are with you’.