Bengaluru: A committee constituted to find out facts relating to the Bengaluru riots has revealed some startling facts. 

The committee was formed by Citizens for Democracy, consisting of retired judges, journalists, and bureaucrats. 

As reported by a popular website, it has stated that the local populace was actively involved. 

It said, “Despite attempts being made to project the same as political rivalry, it was undoubtedly communally motivated. The Committee is of the opinion that based on the kind of houses that have been attacked and people who have been targeted, the motive of the riots could also be fear mongering so as to change the demography and turn the area into a Muslim majority one.”

The report also notes the participation of PFI and SDPI activists. 

It says: “Another group of rioters attacked the house of Naveen, much in the same manner as they attacked Srinivas Murthy’s house. As there was no security at Naveen’s residence, the rioters managed to break into the house and run amok while members of Naveen’s family had to quickly take shelter in their neighbour’s house. They used petrol bombs, stones, metal rods to destroy the house. Rioters used kerosene, petrol and other inflammable chemicals to set the house on fire.”

The report also quoted accused Naveen’s father as saying, “Upon personally witnessing the attack on the house me and my wife with my daughter and her children were scared for life and moved to the first floor and from there through a back door jumped into the neighbouring house and got a shelter. The unruly crowd gathering in front of the house threw petrol bombs on the house, poured kerosene in the house on sofa and furniture, and torched the house to burn. At the time of attack they have destroyed most of the furniture, electronic items and important documents. They have looted cash of around 5 lakhs, watches, gold chains belonging to me and around 15 lakhs of rupees of cash and jewels of my wife. One of the Muslim women from the neighbouring house come to the rescue of my wife and helped her escape”.

The report also took note of the pattern in which the riots took place.  

“The pattern of the riots is common with that of Delhi and Sweden. Therefore, it is imperative for the state to investigate the incident holistically and not consider them to be isolated and local.” It also recommended, “Potential areas that might face such communal tensions must be identified by the Police in advance and short-term and long-term plans must be made to curb such tensions.”