Eerie calm prevails in Bangalore

Eerie calm prevails in Bangalore
Deccan Herald

Barring a stray incident in which a window pane of a bus carrying the Rapid Action Force (RAF) was damaged, the areas of Bharathinagar, Shivajinagar and Frazer Town which were rocked by large-scale rioting and arson over the past three days, remained peaceful on Monday.

Though police lifted the curfew imposed on Sunday night, shops and other establishments remained closed on Monday fearing fresh violence. However, ban orders prohibiting assembly of five or more persons are in force in these police station limits.

With the areas limping back to normal, the government has permitted reopening of all the schools in the affected areas on Tuesday. Holiday had been declared for these schools on Monday.

Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy commended the police for controlling the situation while making it clear that there was no need to hold a judicial inquiry. “Police would conduct a thorough investigation into the incidents leading to the violence,” he said after holding a review meeting with officials of the Home and Police Departments. Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister had told reporters in Hassan that the Bangalore violence in the context of Hindu Samajotsav was instigated. A high level inquiry will be undertaken, he announced.

Meanwhile, the 10 platoons of RAF which arrived here from Hyderabad and Chennai, took out a flag march in the affected areas on Monday.

RPF vehicle damaged

Some miscreants threw a empty bottle at a bus belonging to the RPF damaging a window pane of the vehicle. The bottle was hurled from the terrace of a house when the flag march was passing through Thimmaiah Road at around 4 pm. Soon the RPF personnel stopped the march and cordoned off the E-street off Slaughter House Road to search the houses for the miscreants. After initial resistance, the inmates allowed the police to search their houses. Shivajinagar police have taken into custody two persons for questioning in this connection. The RPF flag march passed through Shivajinagar Circle, M K Street, OPH Road, Taj Circle, Russel Market, Thimmaiah Road, Lal Masjid Road, Arunachalam Mudaliar Road, Seppings Road, Kamaraj Road and St John’s Road.

The police accompanied the RAF personnel in keeping a close watch in the sensitive areas to prevent any untoward incident.

Commercial Street and surrounding areas, normally teeming with shoppers, wore a deserted look on Monday. In some cross roads, children were seen making most of the holiday in playing cricket and flying kites. Residents of these areas had to travel a minimum of 3 km to buy groceries and essentials as most shops in the area remained closed.

Meanwhile, about 200 people have been detained in connection with the violence so far and about 35 cases of rioting, arson and attempt to murder, have been registered at three police stations since Sunday evening. The investigation into the incidents leading to the violence is yet to commence as the police were concentrating on the maintenance of law and order.

Former Union Minister Jaffer Sharief who came to the Bowring hospital to see the victims was gheraoed.