BENGALURU: Rajarajeshwarinagar police on Saturday detained 12 more suspects, including two minors, in Monday’s arson of over 40 buses belonging to KPN Travels. The police had arrested 11 people on Friday.
A group of people allegedly barged into a yard behind PES College at D’Souza Nagar near Nayandahalli, where the buses were parked, and set fire to them on Monday when violence broke out over the Cauvery issue.
It is said that the case will be handed over to the CID. However, a senior police officer said the probe has already been started by the city police and they are yet to decide on handing over the case to CID.
According to a senior police officer, Bhaghya alias Bhaghyasri, a native of Yadagir district, is one of those arrested. Police, who examined CCTV footage, found that she was carrying a fuel can and handed it over to the men who set the buses ablaze.
“When Bhagya was brought to the station, she showed a tattoo of a king cobra (on her right hand) to the investigation officer and said nothing can go against her. We are yet to ascertain if she was forced to carry the fuel can. We would have let her off if she had apologised, but she was audacious,” the officer said.
All the accused were taken to the spot for mahazar and were later handed over to judicial custody. According to Bhaghya’s family she was just an onlooker.
It was suspected that the staff themselves were behind the incident. Ansar, manager of KPN Travels, denied the allegation. “There were 56 buses in the depot, of which 42 were set ablaze. Most were 2012 and 2014 models. The staff who were assaulted by the gang were rushed to a hospital by the police. About 32 men barged into the premises,” he said.