A few retired police officers doubted the intention of the government and the police after the way Monday’s violence in the city erupted.
The officers’ observations seem to gain credence considering what a senior officer in the state intelligence told DH: “The government wanted the city police to go soft on protesters.
The police were told not to resort to lathi charge and open fire. Hence, the police were mute spectators to the torching of vehicles and stone pelting in some areas.”
“The attack on Kannadigas in Tamil Nadu was aired at around 3.45 am on Monday.
The reports of hurling petrol bombs at New Woodlands Hotel, a restaurant owned by a person from Karnataka in Chennai, and an attack on five vehicles with Karnataka registration in Rameshwaram became public around 7 am. The city police got alerts only around 11 am after vehicles were torched in the city. This indicates failure of the city police in anticipating repercussions to attacks on Kannadigas in Tamil Nadu,” a retired DGP told DH.
“There were 40 KSRP platoons, 30 CAR platoons, 2,700 Home Guards, two companies of RAF, two companies of CISF and one company of ITBP, apart from the city police force stationed since September 9. Violence, despite heavy police presence is hard to digest,” he said.
City Police Commissioner N S Megharikh told DH: “It is not the failure of the city police. The video of an attack on a Kannadiga in Tamil Nadu went viral on social media which triggered the violence. The police had successfully handled the bandh on September 9. The sudden violence due to provocation is totally different from the bandh.”
Though there is no clarity on who was behind the violence, intelligence officers have gathered inputs suggesting involvement of leaders of three Kannada organisations indirectly.
“A section of garment factory workers and anti-social elements were hired for violence. Some of them were part of the violence during the garment factory workers’ protest on April 19. Hence, violence broke out in areas where garment factory workers stay. We will submit a report to the government shortly in this regard,” the officer said.
The city police had taken 536 persons into preventive custody in view of the bandh on September 9. They were let free later. The involvement of these elements in the violence could not be ruled out, the Intelligence Wing officer said.
“The police have detained 350 persons so far. They are analysing electronic material to establish the identity of more miscreants who were on the spot. It may take some time for the police to identify those who led the violence,” Megharikh said.