No communal link to 22-yr-old murder, say Bengaluru cops; row rages on

The police stated that the home minister Jnanendra’s claims that the victim, identified as Chandru,was killed for ‘not speaking Urdu,’ were not true.

Bengaluru police on Wednesday rejected Karnataka home minister Araga Jnanendra’s statement that the recent murder of a 22-year-old man took place because he did not know Urdu, as political row erupted over the incident.

Even though home minister Araga Jnanendra subsequently retracted his statements on Urdu by stating that the incident was actually over road rage but not before evoking sharp reaction from opposition parties. (HT File)

A fact-check posted on the Bengaluru police’s official website posted screen shots from the coverage of a few news channels broadcasting the home minister’s statement.

The police stated that the home minister’s claims that the victim, identified as Chandru,was killed for ‘not speaking Urdu,’ were not true.

“After Jnanendra’s statement, police deployment was increased in the city fearing communal tensions,” said a senior Bengaluru police official, pleading anonymity.

Chandru was allegedly murdered in the wee hours of Tuesday and the police had arrested three suspects in the case the same day.

On Wednesday morning, talking to the media the home minister said, “I have collected the information. They asked him (Chandru) to speak Urdu. He didn’t know. When he said he doesn’t know any other language other than Kannada, he was killed brutally by stabbing him multiple with knives. He is a Dalit man. Some people have been arrested in the case so far.”

Even though the home minister subsequently retracted his statements by stating that the incident was actually over road rage but not before evoking sharp reaction from opposition parties.

Hitting out at the home minister for his statements, senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the assembly Siddaramaiah said that it is unfortunate that he is the home minister of the state and is unfit to remain in the position. “He doesn’t have any experience and doesn’t know how to handle that department,” said Siddaramaiah.

The home minister withdrew his statement after the Bengaluru police issued a statement that the murder was the result of road rage and had no communal or linguistic angle to it.

“I gave whatever information I had then. Now that I have the details of the incident, I clarify that the murder took place over the collision of two vehicles… I said some things about language( being the reason behind the murder), however, police have now told me that there is nothing like that,” he said.

When asked why he issued a statement without a confirmation, he said that he got the information from some sources, which were proven to be wrong. “Now I can confirm that it was only a because of the bike collision and not any other reason,” he said.

The police also shared an image of a quote by lawyer Meera Raghavendra — being shared widely on social media platforms — with a similar allegation that Chandru was killed for not speaking Urdu. “News that is not checked for facts like the above news is detrimental to society and legal action will be taken against it. The public is asked to share verified news on social media platforms, and not share fake news,” the police said.

The home minister made the controversial statement on Wednesday morning, even though the Bengaluru police commissioner Kamal Pant had issued a statement with the case details at 10 pm on Tuesday after some social media posts were circulated giving the murder a communal colour. In a tweet, the commissioner had categorically said that the murder took place due to road rage.

Pant said that the murder took place in JJ Nagar police station limits in the city. “Around midnight on Tuesday, two persons – Simon Raj and Chandru – had gone to an eatery on Mysore road. Chandru is around 22-years-old and Christian. While returning, their bike collided with another two-wheeler, which was ridden by one Shahid (sic),” Pant tweeted via his Twitter account.

“This led to a quarrel and more people joined. During the fight, Shahid stabbed Chandru in his right thigh and then fled from the location. Chandru was shifted to Victoria hospital, where he succumbed to injuries. All the three accused persons are arrested,” he said.

The accused were identified as Shahid Pasha (21), Shahid Goli (22) and a minor. Police narrowed down on the accused based on CCTV footage and information gathered from the area. The three are currently in police custody for interrogation.

Calling the home minister’s statements “irresponsible”, JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy slammed him, saying his statements were aimed at disturbing communal harmony in the state. “It was an incident that took place on Tuesday morning. Still, on Wednesday the police department is giving one statement and the home minister is giving another. … the (home minister) statement was something that would spoil the harmony and peace in the state… doesn’t he know the responsibility held by the home minister? They (ruling BJP) are trying to play politics even in the murder case.... “ he said.

Reacting to the developments, chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, who is currently in New Delhi said that he has no information regarding the incident. “I won’t comment without knowing the case details, I will get the case details...based on which I will see what he has said and will comment after that,” he said.