The Bengaluru Police announced early on Wednesday that at least three people have died and around 60 policemen were injured following violent protests in the north of the city over an allegedly inflammatory social media post.
A total of 165 people have been arrested in connection with the violence.
The protests began on Tuesday night outside the residence of Congress MLA R. Akhanda Srinivas Murthy in Kaval Byrasandra in north Bengaluru. The mob alleged a relative of the MLA had made a social media post that was critical of Islam.
Murthy's residence and office were vandalised by the protesting mob, which numbered around a thousand people.
Following the violence, prohibitory orders under Section 144 were imposed in DJ Halli and KG Halli police station limits. Personnel of the Karnataka State Reserve Police and Rapid Action Force have been deployed to the area. Police resorted to lathi-charge to keep people indoors.
Bengaluru Police Commissioner Kamal Pant was quoted by ANI as saying "Around 60 police personnel including an Additional Commissioner of Police injured in clashes that broke out over an alleged inciting social media post, in DJ Halli and KG Halli police station areas of Bengaluru".
Pant added the man accused of making the derogatory social media posts, identified as Naveen, had been arrested.
(With inputs from Prathima Nandakumar)
