Bengaluru/Mysuru: After two days of protests, police firing and arson that left hundreds injured, Bengaluru limped back to normal on Wednesday.
While the city police were busy investigating into the events that led to the large-scale violence and are hunting for Wednesday’s rioters, as many as 20 platoons of the Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) and three companies of central forces and Rapid Action Force (RAF) were deployed at sensitive areas across the city. There were also six to seven City Armed Reserve (CAR) platoons that were deployed.
The RAF personnel on Wednesday conducted flag marches along Jalahalli Cross on Tumakuru Road and from Electronic City to Bommanahalli on Hosur Road, the two areas that were worst-hit by the violence on Tuesday. Flag marches were also held on Mysuru Road.
Ban orders under Section 144 have been imposed for 72 hours and the police were seen making the announcement from patrol vehicles and autorickshaws.
Police arrest 40 more rioters
City Police Commissioner N.S. Megharik said that around 40 people, who were involved in rioting, were arrested on Wednesday, taking the total number of arrests to 156. More arrests are likely to follow.
Terming it a wildcat protest, he said that the rioters were picked up based on the CCTV footage and video clippings from the media and police teams. Additional Commissioner of Police (East-Bengaluru City) Harisekaran said, “Photographs and footage of those involved in stone throwing, assault on police and torching of vehicles are available with us and they will be arrested. Our men are visiting garment factories and informing workers about the government's stand. There was no protest or procession today (Wednesday). But our bandobast will continue.”
Though prima facie, the accused are anti-social elements, investigations are on to ascertain their background, he said.
Mr Megharikh said that the city is peaceful because there was no reason for the protests to continue as the centre has withdrawn the PF amendment notification.
Garment factories remain shut
As Section 144 was clamped, there were no gatherings anywhere in the city or the outskirts. All large and small-scale garment factories remained closed on Wednesday.
Biocon declares holiday
Two units of Biocon declared holiday for its employees on Wednesday as a precautionary measure. The police visited the two vandalised units of Biocon – one on Hosur Road and the other in Bommasandra Industrial Area on Wednesday and registered a case. “The two injured employees in Tuesday’s mob violence are said to be in a stable condition,” said a Biocon employee.
Injured recovering
The BBMP authorities were seen clearing the streets and localities of slippers, water bottles and burnt tyres. Hundreds of garment factory workers, majority of them women, sustained injuries during the riots, but most of them are recovering from their injuries, said a representative from the garment workers union.
A garment factory worker, Bharathi, sustained a bullet injury and is being treated at a private hospital. She is said to be out of danger. The condition of Preethi, a B. Com student whose thigh was hit by a pellet on Tuesday, was stable on Wednesday after she underwent a surgery for removing the pellet. The condition of Manjunathappa, a passerby whose chest was pierced by shrapnel, is still being treated in the ICU of Sparsh Hospitals.
Protests in Mandya, Mysuru
More than 2,000 garment factory workers from Tubinakere, Gejjalagere, Maddur, Srirangpatna and other places took out a mammoth silent protest march in Mandya on Wednesday, condemning the alleged police atrocity against women garment factories who were protesting in Bengaluru on Tuesday.
The workers, led by CITU, started their protest near Silver Jubilee Park and went around the city for about a kilometre before concluding it. They later submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner, seeking action against erring policemen.
CITU activists also protested near the DC’s office in Mysuru and submitted a memorandum to the DC. Women’s Commission Chairperson Manjula Manasa too condemned the behaviour of the police.
