The police in Hubballi in Dharwad district of Karnataka launched a search for a Maulvi (Islamic cleric) for delivering hate speech and instigating a mob to indulge in large-scale violence after an objectionable post appeared on social media, police said on Tuesday.

According to police, Maulvi Waseem addressed an agitated mob, which had gathered to protest against a social media post. After his inflammatory speech, violence was reported in Hubballi. The police have collected the video of the hate speech and that video shows the accused Maulvi standing on a vehicle of the police commissioner and delivering his speech, police officials said.

Some have contradicted the police's version stating that the cleric was trying to mediate between the police and the crowd.

Local media reports stated that a youth had purportedly posted an altered picture of a saffron flag hoisted atop the mosque in Mecca. Several people from the Muslim community in the city had gathered outside the Old City police station, demanding action against the youth on Saturday.

The Hubballi police said that instigated by his speech, the mob started pelting stones and damaging vehicles. The police have arrested 103 persons in connection with the violence. Many accused have fled fearing arrest by the police. The eight special teams formed to nab the accused have continued their operations.

The 4th JMFC court had remanded 88 accused persons and the youth who had put out the objectionable post to judicial custody till April 30. Police sources said that among the total 48 CCTV cameras installed for monitoring in Hubballi city only 21 were working and seven cameras were missing. The investigation has suffered a setback due to this fact in identifying miscreants.

Prohibitory orders in Hubballi will continue till April 20.The city will also continue to have heavy police protection.