Bajrang Dal involved in Karnataka communal violence: Home Ministry

NEW DELHI: The Union Home Ministry has said that Bajrang Dal elements are involved in communal violence in Karnataka and that the state government must apply stringent laws against those who were involved in it.

There was a "sense of uneasiness" in Karnataka and Christian community was "visibly upset and unhappy" over the recent communal violence there, Special Secretary (Internal Security) in the ministry, M L Kumawat, said here.

"Alleged Bajrang Dal elements were involved in vandalising churches, prayer halls and schools," he said after camping in the violence-hit areas of the state for two days.

Kumawat said the two-member Central team, including Joint Secretary (Human Rights) A K Yadav, found that violent protests on September 15 following the desecration of churches in Mangalore, made the freshly-recruited cops impatient.

Irked by the stone pelting mob, these young policemen entered churches, prayer halls and beat old, women and young alike which resulted in discontentment.

"The community members told us that the administration was partial and bias and even demanded that Dakhina Kanada (Mangalore) district Superintendent of Police Satish Kumar be transferred," he said.

Kumawat said they found that out of the four posts of Deputy Superintendent of Police in Mangalore, three were lying vacant.

"All the violence-hit areas were known to be sensitive. The administration could have handled the situation in a more matured manner by deploying seasoned policemen," he said.

He said the team would submit its report within a day or two.