Channagiri violence: 25 persons arrested for attack on police station and stone pelting

The Davangere district police on Sunday arrested 25 persons, in connection with the violence during a protest against the ‘lock-up death’ of a person detained by the police in Channagiri on Friday night.

The Davangere district police on Sunday arrested 25 persons, in connection with the violence during a protest against the ‘lock-up death’ of a person detained by the police in Channagiri on Friday night.

Davangere Superintendent of Police Uma Prashanth had set up five teams to nab those involved in vandalising the police station, stone pelting, and damaging police vehicles and injuring police personnel.

Police sources have said that based on CCTV camera footage and cellphone videos of the vandalism, they had identified the miscreants and arrested them.

The Channagiri station police had registered six cases in connection with Friday night’s violence. Of the six, the police have made 25 arrests in four cases, and produced them before the court.

Adil was brought to the police station in Channagiri on Friday in connection with a gambling case. As he collapsed after a while, he was shifted to hospital, where he was declared dead. Alleging that it was a case of a ‘lock up death’, a mob had staged the protest before the Channagiri police station which, however, turned violent resulting in injuries to 11 police personnel.

The incident already led to the Opposition blaming the State government for a failure of law and order, even as the Chief Minister admitted lapses by the police, leading to the suspension of two officers.

As a precautionary measure, additional police forces have been deployed in Channagiri. The SP has said in a release that the police were keeping an eye on social media posts. Those found circulating inflammatory posts, statements or videos would be dealt with strictly.