Man held for instigating attack on journalist Dinesh Amin Mattu

A man from Nelamangala was arrested on Wednesday for urging pro-Hindu activists to attack Dinesh Amin Mattu, journalist and former media adviser to former chief minister Siddaramaiah.

The DJ Halli police arrested B R Bhaskar Prasad following a complaint by Mattu on June 1. Mattu accused him of posting "baseless" allegations against him on social media. The posts were "intimidating in nature and instigated pro-Hindu activists to attack Mattu", the complaint said.

Acting on the complaint, when police reached Prasad's house in Nelamangala around 2 am on Wednesday to arrest him, he refused to open the door and asked them to wait until 6 am. He later complained of chest pain and was admitted to the Jayadeva Hospital where he contacted his lawyer. Police, however, arrested him when he was discharged from the hospital at 2 pm.

Prasad has been booked under sections 507 (criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 118 (concealing design to commit an offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC.