Date:21/01/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/01/21/stories/2007012119250300.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Violence erupts in Bharathinagar again

Staff Reporter

Arsonists set on fire two cars; one person injured in attack by miscreants

INSTILLING CONFIDENCE: Police staged a flag march on Seppings Road, Narayana Pillai Road, Thimmaiah Road and Thambuchetty Street in Bangalore on Saturday, and (right) women assessing the situation outside a shop on Seppings Road after Friday's violen ce. — Photos: K. Murali Kumar

BANGALORE: Vehicles were set on fire and shops ransacked on Saturday in Bharathinagar, which witnessed communal violence on Friday during a rally organised to protest the execution of the former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) P. Muniswamy said that around 10.45 a.m. arsonists torched two cars and two motorcycles that were parked in a narrow lane behind Bharathinagar police station.

They also ransacked a tailoring unit and some shops and tried to set them on fire. Before the police reached the spot, the car owners had doused the fire. One person was injured after he was attacked by miscreants, he said.

Before these incidents occurred, hundreds of people staged a demonstration at Thimmaiah Road-Seppings Road junction. They gheraoed Mr. Muniswamy, demanding action against those who indulged in violence on Friday.

Bharathinagar MLA Nirmal Kumar Surana and other BJP leaders, who arrived at the spot, were also confronted by the protesters. Mr. Surana assured them that the police would take necessary action.

When the protesters were not convinced by his words, Mr. Surana took them to a nearby temple. He informed them that he had requested the police to arrest the accused immediately. "We will decide the next course of action at the Viraat Hindu Samajotsava to be held at Ulsoor on Sunday," the MLA said.

To instil confidence in the public, the police staged a flag march on Seppings Road, Narayana Pillai Road, Thimmaiah Road and Thambuchetty Street, which bore the brunt of Friday's violence. Shops and business establishments on these roads remained closed. The streets were almost deserted and the vehicular movement was thin. The police have intensified patrolling in the area and deployed additional forces.

Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Bipin Gopalkrishna told The Hindu that no untoward incidents were reported after those in the morning and the situation was under control. A decision on relaxing the prohibitory orders would be taken after assessing the situation on Sunday, Mr. Gopalkrishna said.

After nearly 50 people were injured, several vehicles damaged, houses and shops ransacked on Friday, the police clamped ban orders in Bharathinagar, Shivajinagar and Commercial Street police station limits.

Meanwhile, Commissioner of Police Neelam Achuta Rao held a meeting of senior officials and discussed security arrangements for the Viraat Hindu Samajotsava organised by the RSS in Ulsoor, Thyagarajanagar and Malleswaram in the city on Sunday.