Six SDPI men arrested for assault on RSS worker in Bengaluru

All accused are now in police custody for further investigation

bengaluru-police

The Bengaluru City Police on Friday arrested six persons affiliated to the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) in connection with the attack on a BJP-RSS supporter on December 22, 2019. 

According to Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao, the SDPI activists had planned to kill Hindu leaders at the "India with CAA” rally, which was being addressed by Bengaluru South MP Tejaswi Surya and Yuva Brigade founder Chakravarthy Sulibele in Town Hall on December 22.  But as there was heavy police security at the venue, the culprits could not execute their plan and instead they decided to target Varun, who was riding back home on a rented scooter after taking part in the rally. 

The culprits followed Varun and attacked him with lethal weapons in Kalasipalya area. Varun, who sustained grievous injuries on his head, neck and back, was shifted to a hospital.

The police registered a case under IPC sections 143, 147, 148, 149 and 307 based on Varun's complaint. 

Considering the gravity and sensitive nature of the case, a special team was formed to trace the culprits, who were arrested and produced before the court.

The accused have been identified as Mohammad Irfan (33), a tailor from RT Nagar,  Syed Akbar(46), a mechanic from RT Nagar,  Syed Siddique (30), a civil contractor from Lingarajapuram,  Akbar Pasha (27), a delivery boy from KG Halli, Sanaulla Sharief(28), who does electrical work, and Saadiq ul Ameen, who owns a sound system shop in Shivajinagar.  

All accused are now in police custody for further investigation.

According to the police,  the accused were affiliated to the SDPI and had meticulously planned the attack. On the day they attacked Varun, the accused had left behind their mobile phones at home, and had worn helmets to conceal their faces. They had smeared the number plates of their vehicles with soot, and had worn multiple shirts too. After the assault, they removed two shirts each and burnt it with petrol on the roadside. They disposed the weapons in the Anchepalya lake and threw their helmets into a pit in Ramamurthy Nagar and shoes were discarded in a gutter in Banaswadi. The two-wheelers used during the crime, too, were kept hidden.

The SDPI, however, has denied that the accused are its members. "It is only a mispropaganda against us. This is an attempt to weaken the nationwide anti-CAA, anti-NRC protests. The accused do not belong to SDPI as alleged by the police. SDPI is in no way related to the attack as it does not believe in violence. It is the responsibility of the police to investigate into such incidents and catch the real culprits and the courts have the responsibility to bring such criminals to justice," said a statement issued by Abrar Ahmed, SDPI's Karnataka media in-charge.

TAGS