A "thorough" magisterial investigation has been ordered into the riots which broke out in east Bengaluru on Tuesday night, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said on Wednesday. "The District Magistrate has ordered a thorough investigation into the riots that took place in the jurisdiction of Godavanavahalli and Kadugodanahalli police stations in Bengaluru," he said after a high-level meeting.
It was decided that an executive magistrate will conduct the inquiry on the basis of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) guidelines.
On Tuesday night, hundreds of people ran amok after Congress MLA Akanda Srinivas Murthy's nephew Naveen allegedly posted a derogatory message on social media.
In the basement of DJ Halli police station, several impounded two-wheelers were set ablaze and destroyed. As many as 600 people stormed the DJ Halli police station demanding action against the derogatory post.
The rioters also targeted houses at random and even closed entry to some localities, making it difficult for the police and other emergency services to enter. While three people were killed in police firing to disperse the mob, over 100 people have been arrested, including Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) leader Muzammil Pasha.
Meanwhile, Revenue Minister R. Ashok has informed the Chief Minister that three councillors were suspected to have been involved in the riots. He made the revelation in the presence of Pulikeshinagar legislator Murthy, with whom he held talks at the Vidhana Soudha.
Pulikeshinagar assembly constituency has seven municipal wards: Pulikeshinagar, SK Garden, Sagayapuram, Muneshwara Nagar, Devarajeevana Halli, Kaval Byrasandra and Kushal Nagar. Ashok asserted that the government will "smoke the rioters out of their holes".
"The accused will be smoked out of their holes. We will barge into their homes, enter the streets and get to all the corners where they are hiding. We will find all of them," he said.
Home Minister Basavaraj S Bommai said that the government will recover the loss incurred from those people responsible for the vandalism and arson.
"One of the important announcements I want to make is that the loss, as per Supreme Court directions, should be recovered from the persons behind the incident. That action we are going to take immediately," he said.
Meanwhile, Akanda Srinivas Murthy, whom the rioters targeted, said the vandals were outsiders and not from his constituency and sought security. He noted that if a legislator becomes the target in a riot, then what would happen to others. Bengaluru city Police Commissioner Kamal Pant is expected to hold a peace meeting with community leaders in which Srinivas Murthy is also likely to take part.