BENGALURU: Following a clash during the Eid-Milad procession on Wednesday, the police have registered three FIRs at the Basavanagudi police station and arrested nine people, including two minors.
According to the police, the incident occurred when an Eid-Milad procession from Kumaraswamy Layout was passing near Garadi Apartment on KR Road at around 3.15 pm. While a group was raising slogans during the procession, Hindutva activist Puneeth Kerehalli and his associates allegedly came in front of the procession carrying saffron flags and raised slogans.
They allegedly tried to prevent the participants from raising slogans, following which tension escalated. However, a group allegedly assaulted a man identified as Murali, leaving him injured. Later he was rushed to hospital.
Based on a complaint filed by Abdul Razzak Khan, the police registered a case under several sections of the BNS, including provisions relating to promoting enmity between groups, unlawful assembly, assault and criminal intimidation. The police arrested Puneeth Kerehalli, Gopigowda, 26, of Ramanagara district, Vinod Nayak, 24, and another person in connection with the case.
Following a counter-complaint filed by Kerehalli, a case was registered under charges relating to attempt to murder and provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Akmal Pasha, 18, Abubakar Siddiq, 24, Syed Anas, 22, and two minors have been arrested in connection with the case.
Meanwhile, a traffic police constable attached to the Basavanagudi Traffic Police Station filed a complaint against Kerehalli and others for allegedly obstructing traffic and public movement by sitting on the road. Following the incident, Kerehalli and his associates allegedly sat in the middle of the road, raised slogans and obstructed the movement of the public and the procession.
When police attempted to shift the injured person to an ambulance, Kerehalli allegedly refused to cooperate and lay down on the road in protest. The police have registered a case under Section 385 of the BNS.