Properties of those indulged in Bengaluru violence will be seized: Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai

Image courtesy: ANI

New Delhi: Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday (August 12) said the government will seize the properties of those indulged in Bengaluru violence on Tuesday night, in which at least three people were killed and scores of others were injured.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Bommai said: "We have come to a decision as per the Supreme Court order that when such riots take place and properties are damaged, the loss has to be recovered from those who have caused the damage."

"I have given orders to initiate all the measures to recover losses from those who have caused the damage," Bommai said, adding that buses, vehicles, and properties were burnt in DJ Halli and K G Halli police station limits. 

"All those losses will be recovered from those who have done it," he said, adding "...There is media and CCTV footage." 

On banning Popular Front of India (PFI), the Karnataka Home Minister said that during the Congress government they had shut many cases, but "we need to look into these cases and initiate the process."

Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya advised Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa saying "I request Yediyurappa to confiscate and attach the properties of the rioters and compensate the losses to public property in the same way as the Adityanath government did in Uttar Pradesh." 

In a tweet, the BJP MP said, "I thank Sri @BSYBJP and Home Minister Sri @BSBommai for deciding to recover all losses to public property by attaching the private property of rioters. Thorough investigation into the conspiracy will shed light on role of various fundamentalist organisations."

Notably, at least three people were killed after police opened fire to quell a mob that went on a rampage, irked over a social media post allegedly put out by a Congress legislator's relative. Arson and violence were witnessed in the city injuring scores of persons, including around 50 policemen.

Congress MLA Srinivasamurthy's residence and a police station were among those targeted by the angry mob, prompting the government to issue a stern warning that rioting and law and order issues will not be tolerated.

As many as 110 people, allegedly involved in the violence, and the accused who posted the communal post have been arrested.