Tensions flare up in Mysuru over derogatory post targetting minorities, I.N.D.I.A. bloc leaders

Mysuru: Tension prevailed in front of Mysuru's Udayagiri Police Station on Monday night, as thousands of people gathered to protest against an alleged derogatory post against members of a minority community.

Protesters blocked the Mahadevapura Main Road. They also resorted to stone pelting directed at the police station, police vehicles and public property, forcing authorities to use batons and tear gas to disperse the crowd. Several people, including policemen and officials, were injured, due to the stone pelting.

The situation returned to normalcy on Tuesday morning. Higher police officials, including ADGP R Hitendra, Police Commissioner Seema Latkar, and DCPs M Muthuraj and S Janhnavi, visited the police station and took stock of the situation. Security has been beefed up in and around the police station, while civic workers of Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) cleared the stones and garbage.

Stone pelting

Agitators alleged that the social media post showed Muslims in a bad light. The post, with pictures resembling political leaders Rahul Gandhi, Aravind Kejriwal and Akhilesh Yadav, titled 'three idiots', had a person performing namaz, with Arabic words written all over.

Arrest

Police said they filed a suo moto case and arrested the accused Suresh, 32, a resident of Kalyangiri Nagar.

The protestors blocked the movement of traffic on Mahadevapura Main Road and its cross roads. While smaller vehicles somehow passed through the mob, city buses faced the brunt. Some pedestrians were injured in the stone pelting.

Assurance

Following police action, the mob dispersed for a while but returned within a few minutes. The protesters relented only by midnight, after senior police officials, including DCP Muthuraj, assured them of taking strict action against the perpetrator.

Speaking to mediapersons on Tuesday morning, ADGP R Hitendra said seven police personnel were injured in the Monday stone pelting and a special team has been formed to nab the miscreants.

“The mob was mislead by some people that the accused, who shared the derogatory post would be let off. We will probe who is behind the incident,” he said.