NIA arrests 'key player' of arson attack on DJ Halli police station

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday announced the arrest of a “key player” in the arson attack on the DJ Halli police station during the East Bengaluru riots on August 11.

An NIA spokesperson said Syed Setu, 34, from Shampura, was a close associate of Muzammil Pasha, a member of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), who has been arrested in the riots case.

On the evening of August 11, a mob had set fire to DJ Halli and KG Halli police station buildings after the police allegedly delayed filing an FIR over an offensive Facebook post about Prophet Muhammad.

The post was uploaded by 35-year-old P Naveen, the nephew of Congress MLA from Pulakeshinagar, R Akhanda Srinivas Murthy. The mob also attacked and burnt the homes of Murthy and his relatives in Kaval Byrasandra.

Setu is one of the “key members” of the mob that torched the police station building and parked vehicles, besides attacking cops. He acted at the behest of Pasha, the NIA stated.

The Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the Bengaluru police, which investigated the arson attacks before the NIA took over the case on September 22, had also pursued Setu.

CCTV cameras installed at the police station and videos shot on mobile phones are said to show Setu and other suspects indulging in the arson attack. The location of their mobile phone towers also placed them at the scene of the crime, the NIA said. At present, the NIA is questioning Setu about other suspects, including Pasha and a few SDPI members.

Previously, the NIA arrested Syed Siddique, 44, a private bank recovery agent from KG Halli. On September 24, the NIA raided around 30 places, including the offices of the SDPI and its parent organisation, the Popular Front of India (PFI).

Investigators have also taken the statements of many people present at the two police stations during the arson attack, including Chamarajpet MLA B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan and Shivajinagar MLA Rizwan Arshad.