Pramesh S Jain
The NIA court on Wednesday convicted three among the 138 accused involved in Kadugondana Halli Police station attack case and sentenced them seven years of imprisonment with a fine of Rs.36,000 each.
The trio,Syed Ikramuddin,44,Syed Asif, 46,Mohammed Atif,26 are among the 187 arrested among the 199 accused in the case .
The trio who are presently in the judicial custody at Parappana Agrahara prison pleaded guilty.While the NIA charge-sheeted 138 people,four among them surrendered while one of them died.
Welcoming the judgement,Special public prosecutor,P. Prasanna Kumar,said“The police are charged with the duty of maintaining law and order as well as public order.
When such custodians of law and order and public order are attacked the confidence of the public in the efficiency of police is likely to be shaken and thereby public order is likely to be disturbed.
“We the people,feel secure when we have a robust police force.By the act of accused in torching KG Halli Police Station,the confidence of the people at large and their sense of security was shaken.
The Judgment has not only secured the confidence of the public at large on Police force but also has vindicated the action of the Central Government in declaring PFI (Popular Front of India) as Unlawful Association”,he said .
It may be recalled that on August 11,2020,an unruly group of 25 to 30 people gathered in front of Kadugondana (KG) Halli Police Station and started shouting slogans demanding arrest of one Naveen, nephew of Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy, MLA who had posted a derogatory message on his Facebook account which is insulting Prophet Mohammed.
The group led by Syed Ikramuddin (Accused no.14) and others entered the KG Halli Police Station,demanding registration of a case against Naveen and others.
The police accepted the complaint with acknowledgement and had already been registered at DevarajeevanaHalli (DJ) PS,Bengaluru on the same day in this regard .
The same has been communicated to the group who gathered in front of the Police Station.
The gathering at KG Halli Police Station was increasing gradually and becoming violent and considering the violent situation which had already erupted at DJ Halli Police station area and further more gathering at KG Halli Police station.
Considering the gravity of the situation,the then Commissioner of Police,Kamal Pant Bengaluru City imposed curfew under DJ Halli and KG Halli Police stations limit with a view to take the situation under control and avoid public gathering.
Accordingly,KG Halli Police made announcement through Public Announcement (PA) system about imposing curfew under section 144 Criminal Procedure Code in the area.
However,the gathering refused to listen to the police personnel on duty,and,instead,they mobilised more people to the KG Halli Police Station.
The unlawfully gathered mob turned unruly and intensified their protest by shouting slogans and turned to violent activities.
They started pelting stones on KG Halli Police Station. Further,they attacked the Police personnel on duty as well as public who had helped police to pacify the crowd and control the situation,with stones,Iron rods and wooden sticks,improvised petrol bombs and other weapons.
However,the crowd become more violent and started vandalising and burning government vehicles,as well as private vehicles parked near by the KG Halli Police station.The mob was demanding to hand over Naveen into their hand,as they wanted to kill him.
Police made utmost efforts to pacify the mob and take situation under control.Police also took the help of some of the prominent local religious leaders.However,the aggressive mob was not ready to obey the orders of law enforcing agency.
They entered the police station premises with weapons and petrol filled in improvised plastic covers and bottles and continued attacking KG Halli Police station,Police personnel on duty and others.
The mob created a horrifying and terror situation in the area,and the Police resorted to Lathi charge.However, the mob didn’t disperse from there and committed violent activities.
Subsequently,Police fired tear gas with an intention to disperse the unruly crowd and to bring the situation under control.
But the mob became more aggressive and started attacking police personnel,and set ablaze the government and public properties on a large scale,also resulting in injuries to the Police personnel.
Since there was no other option to protect the life of Police personnel,safeguard the government as well as public property,after giving warning over PA system,the Police personnel fired two rounds in air with their service weapons to disperse the mob.
However, the large violent mob tried to snatch the weapons of Police personnel.Thus,Police personnel were overawed by criminal force used by the accused persons and absconding persons,who had attempted to kill and injure the Police personnel.
Hence,to safe guard the life of Police and public and properties,the police opened fire on the mob with official weapons.
During gunfire,one person among the mob was injured who later succumbed to his injuries at hospital. Thereafter,the mob gradually dispersed from KG Halli Police Station area.
During the incident,the rioters damaged total 12 vehicles of the government as well as private.In which 05 two-wheeler & 01 Innova Car were burnt,06 others vehicles were damaged.
The then Police Inspector,Ajay Sarathy,lodged a written complaint charging the accused under various sections of the IPC and also under Prevention of damage to Public property Act.
However considering the magnitude of the case the police,after obtaining approval of the competent authority and permission from the 11th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate court,the police invoked Unlawful Activities Prevention Act against the accused . The NIA took over the case after re registering the FIR on 21 September,2020.
