Stray violence reported during bandh against Benny Hinn

Stray violence reported during bandh against Benny Hinn, BJP leaders held
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: Sporadic incidents of violence have been reported across Bangalore city even as the response to the bandh called by the Hindu Jagarana Vedike and other organisations protesting American Evangelist Benny Hinn's `Festival of Blessings' prayer meet remained partial on Friday.

More than 100 people including BJP leaders were arrested in different parts of the city and nearly 100 BMTC buses and 80 private vehicles have been damaged. Many passengers and BMTC drivers and conductors were injured in the stone pelting.

BMTC buses and other passing vehicles were stoned in Kamakshipalya, Ulsoor, Mysore Road, Hosur Road, Jayaanagar, Bannerghatta Road, Banashankari, Malleshwaram and Rehmath Nagar. Miscreants set afire two parked buses in Kalasipalya, police said.

Commercial establishments were forcibly closed down in Rajajinagar, Malleswaram, Vyalikaval and Ramamurthy Nagar. Many shops remained closed in Basavanagudi, R.T. Nagar and Madivala areas also.

Miscreants entered a Church premises on Hosur road and damaged a tableu inside the compound. The Forum Mall nearby threw nets around their building to protect the PVR cinema and building plexiglass.

Traffic has been hit following the protest by BJP and Sangh Parivar supporters in different parts of the city. Protestors blocked traffic on Mysore Road and Hosur Road and burnt tyres on the roads in several other parts. Many taxi operators are refusing to hire people to go for the event anticipating trouble.

Though a holiday on account of Bakrid, traffic police were not manning most junctions as they were busy on the Hinn beat. Many corporate offices are allowing their employees to leave early fearing trouble on the way home.

Arrests

Around 15 BJP MLAs led by national general secretary Ananth Kumar and Opposition leader Jagadish Shettar courted arrest after a protest at the Mahatma Gandhi statue.

The leaders and activists demanded the government to stop the three-day Benny Hinn programme saying that the event is aimed at conversion of Hindus. The police took them into preventive custody and released the leaders later.

According to City Police Commissioner S Mariswamy, 100 people have been arrested from different parts of the city. Miscreants who were forcibly closing down shops and puncturing bus tyres and blocked traffic were also arrested.