'Crowd was so violent that we had to open fire'

Complainant: Siddaramesh P Rashmi, 30, a police officer from KSRP

Place of occurrence DJ Halli police station:

Accused: Around 300 unknown persons

Brief facts of FIR: Around 9.30 pm the complainant and his colleagues from the first battalion KSRP went to DJ Halli police station. Around 300 people started attacking the police station. We did lathi-charge to control the situation, but they continued with the attack, so we opened fire in the air. The mob barged into the police station and attacked the police personnel. To disperse the crowd, we fired about 38 bullets.

As per another case filed by Gurusidappa, assistant reserve sub-inspector, KSRP, he and his colleagues from the fourth battalion reached the DJ Halli police station at 10:40 pm. Hundreds of people had gathered and attacked the police and torching the vehicles parked on the premises. The personnel first used lathi, then tear gas, and opened fire in the air. The mob continued with their attack on police, so we fired around 17 rounds at the mob including in the air to clear the crowd.

In yet another case, filed by Thippeswamy, a head constable of City Armed Reserve (CAR), their team reached DJ Halli police station at around 9:10 pm. By then more than 300 people had gathered and attacked the police, setting fire on the vehicles. They first resorted to lathi-charge, fired tear gas shells. But the crowd damaged the vehicles and began torching them.

Charges:

-Karnataka Prevention of Destruction and Loss of Property Act

IPC Section 307 - Attempt to murder

IPC Section 353 - assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty.

IPC Section 332 and 333 - voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty

IPC Section 436- mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy house etc

IPC Section 427 - mischief causing damage to the amount above Rs 50

IPC Section 143 - Unlawful assembly

IPC section 147 - rioting