The true face of the riots that took place in Mangaluru has now been exposed. The riots resulted in the police resorting to lathicharge, water cannons and firing bullets in the air to disperse the crowd of Muslim rioters. According to eyewitnesses, the mob pelted stones at the police who requested them to disperse peacefully. But the mob surrounded a police station, threatening to burn it down. The police then had to open fire in self-defence after issuing several warnings. The firing had resulted in the death of 2 rioters and more than 50 police personnel were injured in the riots. The Congress and other opposition leaders blamed the government for the deaths and even charged that the police used excessive force which resulted in rioting. But now, new video evidences from CCTVs in the city have exposed the organised way in which the riots were engineered by Muslim mobs.
In several videos released by Mangaluru Police department, the rioters are seen arranging for stones to be pelted on the police and public property. The police on Monday had requested the public to share any videos they might have about the riots. Hundreds of citizens responded to the request and shared their videos. The CCTV videos from shops and other establishments have now provided vital proofs of the modus operandi of the violent rioters. The police have said that it was the organised rioting which forced the police to resort to anti-rioting measures like firing bullets in the air and water cannons. Based on the video evidence the police are now on the lookout for the rioters.
Videos expose the pre-planned riots
The videos available with the police and shared to the media suggests that the mob had very well planned the rioting. The prime reasons to bolster the claim of orchestrated rioting are four fold; Arranging for stones, organised tampering of CCTVs, blocking police anti-riot vehicles and raiding fire arm shop.
Stones required for pelting were transported in a goods carrier from which the rioters picked up the stones. A CCTV from a nearby shop has captured the sequence of events where a goods carriers loaded with stones arrives at the scene. The mob arrives at the spot and opens the bag containing stones and picks up and pelts them at the police. The goods carrier has been confiscated by the police and investigations are on.
The rioters were well aware of the CCTV cameras in the area where they were rioting. Several rioters masked their faces and then forcefully turned the cameras towards the other direction. Some CCTVs were damaged so that they do not record. These acts have also been recorded and released by the police.
Blocking the police van was the next planned step of the rioters. Tyres were burnt in the middle of the road. The rioters then blocked the road with unused electricity polls. The videos show how the rioters stop the police vehicle and then pelt stones at the police van which approaches the location. The police are unable to get out of the vehicle due to relentless stone pelting.
A gun shop in the city was targeted by the rioters. A mob arrives at the gun shop armed with rods and sickle and tries to break open the door. They successfully break the lock. However, the rioters were not successful in breaking open the door of the shop as the police arrived on the scene in time. The police say that had the rioters been able to get the guns and bullets in the shop, the scenario could have been much dangerous.
Police officers and families threatened
The riots in Mangaluru have exposed the nexus between Jihadi elements and Muslim mobs who were rioting in the city. Calls from unknown and international numbers have been received by police officers and their families where the callers have threatened them with dire consequences. A cyber complaint has been registered over such calls. Among those who have received such calls include City Police Commissioner PS Harsha, DCP Arunangshu Giri and several other station officers. Calls have been made through VOIP from international numbers.
The Commissioner has said that the callers will be traced and anyone who is disrupting peace in the city will be brought to task. Security has been increased for officers who have received such threatening calls.
Congress leader instigated Muslims?
Prior to the riots, UT Khader, a former minister and Congress leader had told a gathering of Muslims in the city that if the CAA and NRC are not taken back by the government, the city would burn. In a video that has gone viral, the leader can be heard making incendiary comments against central government and claim that the city would blow up in cinders if the Yediyurappa government tried to implement the CAA in the state.
BJP has slammed Congress leader UT Khader saying the investigation should be conducted against him for the violence in Mangaluru. BJP has said that it was his statements that instigated the mobs to riot. The Congress has denied the charges and despite video evidences has stood in defence of the rioters and stone-pelters.
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