BENGALURU: Bengaluru police have nabbed a six-member gang, alleged to be Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) activists, in connection with their alleged plan to kill Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya during the December 22 pro-CAA rally near Town Hall. The gang, on failing to achieve their objective, later singled out a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) member, Varun Bhopala (34), who survived a murderous attack on him on Kumbaragundi Road, off JC Road, soon after he left the rally.
The accused have been identified as Irfan alias Mohammed Irfan (33), Syed Akbar alias ‘Mechanic’ Akbar (46), Syed Siddiq Akbar (30), Akbar Basha (27), Sanaulla Sharif (28) and Sadiq UL Ameen (39), all residents of KG Halli in East and North Bengaluru. Meanwhile, Ilyas Thumbe, state SDPI president, said the party was deliberately being targeted and the arrested persons were not members of their party.
City Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao on Friday said the gang wanted to attack leaders who took part in the pro-CAA event and they had planned it well in advance. They initially pelted seven stones to scatter the crowds gathered at the pro-CAA event so that they could attack the leaders easily. They had planned to scare the crowds and cause them to disperse, leaving Surya and other BJP/RSS leaders exposed to them, but they failed. Later, the desperate six who found Varun, wearing saffron clothes and walking out of the crowd, followed him on two-wheelers, and attacked him with lethal weapons when he reached Kumbaragundi Road.
Cops checked more than 700 clips
However, the police claim they verified more than 700 CCTV clips to track the attackers and seize the lethal weapons used in the attack on Varun, from their houses. Police Commissioner Rao said the SDPI activists were funded by their leaders to create disturbance and target prominent leaders of Hindu organisations. A special team is now further interrogating the six accused to find out which particular right-wing leaders they had on their hit-list.
Not members of our party, says SDPI
The SDPI officer-bearers on Friday held a press meet to clarify over the arrest and alleged the issue was being politicised. Ilyas Thumbe, state SDPI president, said the arrested persons were not members of their party. “Why are the police revealing all these things after 25 days?” Thumbe questioned. “Ours is a mainstream registered political party contesting elections across the country, abiding by the Constitution and we do not subscribe to violence in any form. The party has not only people from the Muslim community but we have office-bearers who belong to other religions, too. The party is against the agenda of RSS and BJP, but not against individuals.”
Thumbe said those who come for party meetings take membership by paying Rs 10. “There are several volunteers who work for the party and we know everyone very well. We have verified all the details of the accused and have learnt that they are linked with our party. The police are also claiming that the arrested have taken money from SDPI. Let them prove it in the court. We will also fight legally over the allegations they have made,” he said.