Karnataka Police have taken three minors into custody on Monday in connection with an incident of stone-pelting targeting Om Shakti devotees reported from the JJ Nagar police station limits in Bengaluru.
The detentions were made based on suspicion and statements given by Om Shakti devotees.
Home Minister G. Parameshwara stated in Bengaluru on Monday that four to five minors were involved in the stone-pelting incident. He said four to five accused persons had pelted stones during the Om Shakti worship on Sunday night. The juveniles are aged between 15 and 17 years. The investigation is underway to identify those who provoked them to pelt stones.
“We will initiate action as per the law. The detained accused are aged between 15 and 17 years, and we will probe how they were provoked. Once the facts are ascertained, we will take appropriate action,” he said.
“BJP leaders have been making statements and have not stopped commenting. Whenever such incidents occur, BJP leaders intervene first. We initiated legal action even before they made statements. The accused have been detained. Apart from this, the BJP should clarify what more action they expect to be taken,” he stated.
DCP (West) N. Yathish stated that a complaint has been filed regarding stone-pelting during the Om Shakti procession in the JJ Nagar police station limits. An FIR has already been registered, information is being collected, and devotees have been assured that the accused will be arrested.
The police department has deployed the Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) in the area. DCP Yathish visited the jurisdictional police station and is closely monitoring the situation.
According to police, two women sustained injuries in the incident. CCTV footage is not available to the police. The police are collecting information from the spot and have identified certain persons. Special teams have been formed to nab the stone-pelters. Devotees have claimed that they have been facing trouble for a long time and that miscreants even set fire to the venue whenever there is a Hindu religious event.
It can be recalled that tension prevailed in Bengaluru’s communally sensitive JJ Nagar area on Sunday night after stones were allegedly thrown at a Hindu religious ritual conducted as part of the Om Shakti pooja ceremony.
Following the incident, a large number of people gathered outside the JJ Nagar Police Station, demanding immediate action against those responsible for the alleged stone-pelting.
According to the police, an incident of stone-pelting targeting Om Shakti devotees was reported near the Om Shakti temple at V.S. Garden within the JJ Nagar police station limits. A child and a woman, both Om Shakti devotees, were injured in the incident.
The Om Shakti festival was underway at the time, and devotees alleged that stones were pelted from an area inhabited by members of another community when the chariot procession of the deity was being conducted.
The incident during the Hindu religious festival triggered anger among Hindu organisations, leading to a large gathering in front of the JJ Nagar Police Station.
The protesters alleged that they face such problems daily. Stating that they live in constant fear, they demanded that a wall be constructed in the locality to prevent them from being targeted. They claimed that miscreants habitually throw gutter water on devotees, attempt to set fire to the venue of worship, and pelt stones. They said they have lost patience and demand that such incidents stop.
The protesters further complained that it has become difficult for girls to move freely on the roads, alleging that women and children are frequently targeted. They claimed that those who raise their voice or resist are singled out and harassed, and demanded protection from the government.