Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy inspects the riot-hit Nagamangala town, in Mandya district, on Friday. Deputy Commissioner Kumar, former MLA Suresh Gowda, Annadani and others are seen.
Credit: DH Photo
Bengaluru: Leader of R Ashoka on Sunday demanded that the state government must hand over the investigation into Nagamangala communal violence case to the National Investigation Agency for a free and fair probe.
In a post on X, Ashoka said that there is a strong suspicion over the involvement of banned organisations and religious fundamentalists in this communal riot and therefore it will be difficult for the local police to crack the case.
“Therefore I appeal to both Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah and Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara to hand over the case to the NIA,” he wrote.
He further alleged that locals have been suspecting the involvement of Kerala-based persons during the communal riots. “The locals also suspect that these evil people had procured 150 masks prior to the riots, besides they also destroyed CCTVs. Locals suspect that these riots were sponsored and preplanned,” the leader of the Opposition stated on X.
He further said that as many as 23 accused named in the FIR registered by the police in this case are Hindus, which gives rise to suspicion that the police is under pressure from banned organisations.
Former deputy chief minister Dr C N Ashwatha Narayana told reporters that its BJP’s unequivocal demand that Nagamangala case must be handed over to the NIA since two out of the 54 suspects arrested hail from Kerala.
“Truth behind how and why these Keralaites are linked with these riots will come out only if the case is transferred to NIA as the local police have no wherewithal for an in-depth probe,” he said.