After violence broke out at a protest in Karnataka’s Hubballi over a social media post on April 16, the police have made another arrest. On Saturday, April 23, the Hubballi police arrested corporator and AIMIM leader Nazir Ahmed Honyal on charges of inciting the mob to violence during the protest. According to the Deccan Herald, Honyal is the corporator-elect from Ward 72 of the Hubballi-Dharwad Mahanagara Palike (HDMP) and the AIMIM district president.
On April 16, a large crowd had gathered outside the Old Town police station in Hubballi, demanding strict action against a youth for a communally charged social media post. The post purportedly showed a saffron flag over a mosque in Mecca. The crowd outside the police station swelled into a mob and violence erupted as stone-pelting began, damaging a nearby hospital and temple, besides the police station building. A few officers were also injured during the incident.
The Karnataka police have arrested over 100 people in connection with the violence. As of April 22, the police had filed 12 cases in which 132 people were arrested. The state government has maintained that stringent action will be taken against the rioters. On Friday, April 22, Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said that “unseen hands and organisations” were behind the violence, and that the government was mulling banning such organisations.
"The Hubballi incident was to incite large-scale violence there, as our police acted immediately, the situation was brought under control in a couple of hours. The Maulvi (who allegedly instigated the mob) was arrested on Thursday, investigations are on to find who were behind the incident and organisations that were involved," Jnanendra said.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, he said, there will be a thorough inquiry as there are many unseen hands involved. "Innocent people were incited and sent on to the streets to indulge in violence. Some people are trying to create unrest in the society against a particular community and some organisations are involved in it. We know who they are and we will find them… all aspects on how to ban and control them are being ideated upon. We want peace and stability and all communities to co-exist," he added.
With PTI inputs