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Govt to seek NIA probe into Shivamogga stabbing incident: Karnataka minister
Prem Singh was stabbed on August 15 after clashes broke out between two communities in the town over putting up banners of Hindutva ideologue Savarkar and 18th-century Mysuru ruler Tipu Sultan
Bengaluru: Karnataka home minister Araga Jnanendra on Saturday said that the state government has decided to hand over the investigation of the stabbing case following the row over the installation of VD Savarkar’s flex in Shivamogga to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
“The incident of stabbing Prem Singh in connection with Veer Savarkar flex removal will be handed over to the NIA soon. The prime accused in the stabbing case Jabiulla’s connections with terrorists have come to light,” the home minister said.
Shivamogga police on August 16 had arrested four men in connection with the stabbing during communal tensions. The police also shot one of the suspects in the leg as he was trying to escape. A case under section 353 and section 307 of the Indian Penal Code has been registered in Doddpet police station, said officials.
The first two suspects were arrested hours after the crime on Monday. Police identified the arrested suspects as Nadeem (25) and Abdul Rehman (25). Following the interrogation of these two men, police began a search operation for the remaining suspects on Tuesday morning.
After police found the whereabouts of another suspect in the case, Mohammed Jabiualla alias Charbi, a team from Vinob Nagar police station tried to arrest him, but he attacked the police personnel with a knife.
“When our officers went to arrest him, he tried to attack them. So, in self-defence our police sub-inspector Manjunath Kuri has fired two rounds on the suspect’s leg and took him to custody,” said Alok Kumar, Additional director general of police, law and order.
Prem Singh (aged 20) was stabbed after clashes broke out between two communities in the town over putting up banners of Hindutva ideologue Savarkar and 18th-century Mysuru ruler Tipu Sultan on Monday.
“There was a commotion over the banner. The suspects were carrying weapons when they had come to the location where the violence took place. After the police dispersed they ran to different locations and these four men later surrounded Singh and another person near MKK road. The other person Saravan managed to escape, but the gang stabbed Singh,” said Kumar.
He added that Jabiulla stabbed Singh, and another accused Tanvir hit on his head with a helmet. The other two helmets Jabiulla stab him, police added. When asked if the arrested suspects are members of any political organisations, the officer said that it needs to be investigated.
Even though only one has been handed over to the NIA, four assault cases have been reported in communally-sensitive Shivamogga district since August 13, when some miscreants removed a hoarding carrying a photo of Hindutva icon VD Savarkar in the district.
Shivamogga police said they have lodged eight cases in connection with assaults and violence on Independence Day over the Savarkar hoarding.
Police officials said while two attacks took place on August 15, one case each was reported on August 13 and August 16.
The first case was reported on August 13 when a minor was attacked over the display of a Savarkar photo at a mall in the city. As per the complaint lodged by the minor’s uncle, the 17-year-old boy was at a mall to eat. During this time, a mob that was holding a protest asked him for his name and then assaulted him.
“Police were able to rescue him. He suffered minor injuries. The suspects in the case were holding a protest over the removal of Savarkar photo following protests from some Muslim groups,” said an official.
The second attack took place on August 15 when the city saw violence over the removal of a Savarkar banner from Amir Ahmed circle. Around 2 pm, 19-year-old Saddam Hussain Jamkhand was assaulted by a group of people at Uppar Keri, while he was returning home from Gandhi Bazar.
The third incident was reported around 3.15 pm when Prem Singh was attacked by four men.
The fourth case was reported on August 15 around 9.30 am when a man identified as Sunil, a resident of Nehru Nagar in Bhadravathi town, was beaten up and hit on his head and face, allegedly by Muslim youth.
“A group of people stopped my scooter and asked me for my name and started attacking me when I told them my name. They hit my neck and back with sharp objects. It seems they attacked me because my name is Saddam Hussain. They let me go only when a police vehicle came by,” said a police officer.
On July 29, Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai had announced that the government has decided to hand over the investigation into the murder of BJP worker Praveen Nettaru to the NIA. Nettaru, a resident of Bellare in Dakshina Kannada, was attacked by bike-borne assailants when he was returning home after closing his poultry shop late July 26.
