WhatsApp used to coordinate riots in Bengaluru's DJ Halli: NIA charge sheet

A WhatsApp group comprising more than 100 members had instigated people to assemble in front of KG Halli and DJ Halli police stations

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has alleged that the violence in Bengaluru’s DJ Halli, on August 11, 2020, was coordinated through a WhatsApp group. The NIA made the claim in its charge sheet filed on February 9.

The violence in DJ Halli and adjoining areas on August 11 night was unleashed by hundreds of people over an inflammatory social media post. (PTI file photo)

The agency claimed that a WhatsApp group “DG Halli 45” was actively organising the mob to gather in front of the two police stations.

“Analysis of the WhatsApp group revealed that more than a hundred members were present in the said group during the riot and had hidden their identity… the WhatsApp group was used for spreading incriminating messages, images, videos, audio clips etc related to the incident to instigate people to assemble unlawfully in front of both KG Halli and DJ Halli police stations for participating in the violent activities,” the charge sheet read.

It further added that 18 mobile phones used for recording text messages, videos, audios and photos of the incident and sharing the same on social media platforms, have been seized.

The charge sheet also claimed that administratorsof the WhatsApp group and some members have been identified during the investigation.

“Analysis of the mobile/WhatsApp data of the group also revealed that the movement and activities of many rioters during and after the events were coordinated through these groups,” NIA added.

Reacting to the charge sheet, Afsar Kodlipet, a senior office-bearer of the SDPI in Karnataka, said: “This charge sheet is pre-planned and prejudiced. This is the same thing that happened in Delhi (the Delhi riots case) and this report is a copy-paste of the same report.”