3 dead in police firing, 50 cops injured in Bengaluru clash over social media post
At least three people were killed today as Indian police opened fire on a mob that went on a rampage in Bengaluru, resenting a communally sensitive social media post allegedly put out by a kin of opposition Congress party lawmaker.
Scores of people, including around 50 policemen, were injured in the violence that broke out late last night and continued till the wee hours of today, reports our New Delhi correspondent.
The mob rampaged through eastern Bengaluru's Pulakeshi Nagar in the night and vandalised a police station and Congress legislator Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy's residence whose relative had allegedly shared the Facebook post, police said.
A large number of people gathered near MLA Murthy's residence and vandalised it and damaged the vehicles parked there before targeting the police station ransacking the vehicles believing that the police had kept the accused detained there, they said.
"Three people have died (in police firing)," Bengaluru Police Commissioner Kamal Pant said, adding that 110 people have been arrested in connection with the incident at Pulakeshi Nagar.
Pant said Naveen, who allegedly posted the social media post, has been arrested.
The police teams that tried to contain the violence also bore the brunt of the mob as their vehicles were damaged, eye-witnesses said.
Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai warned the rioters that he has given police a free hand to contain the violence.
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