Bengaluru Shopkeeper Assault: Police Detains BJP MP Tejasvi Surya During Protest

The BJP MP from Bengaluru South accused the Siddarmaiah-led government of indulging in 'appeasement politics' which he claimed has lead to incidents like this.

Accoridng to PTI, Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje and BJP MLA S Suresh Kumar were also taken into preventive custody by police on Tuesday.

The Commissioner of Bengaluru Police, B Dayananda told the media that five individuals have been held in relation to the incident. Two arrests were made on Tuesday, and there is still one more person who is yet to be nabbed.

The BJP had organised a peaceful procession from the shop of the victim, Mukesh, where the participants chanted 'Hanuman Chalisa'.

A group of youths objected to Mukesh playing 'Hanuman Chalisa' loudly in his shop on Juma Masjid road on Sunday during 'Azaan' and assaulted him, according to police.

"The attack on the trader playing Hanuman Chalisa is very painful to see. Attempts are being made to disturb peace in the society," Suresh Kumar alleged.

Bengaluru South Lok Sabha BJP candidate Tejasvi Surya alleged that the police did not register a "proper FIR" buckling under pressure from the Congress government.

“It was only Mukesh (the trader who was beaten up) again went to the police station and lodged a complaint, facts were inserted in the FIR. We had given the police time frame to arrest the accused. Out of six people, five have been arrested. They have assured that the sixth accused will be arrested this evening,” Surya, who is Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha President, told reporters.

Dayananda refuted the allegation that there was a delay in registering the FIR.

“Soon after learning about the incident, the Deputy Commissioner of Police rushed to the spot and the case was registered the same evening when the incident took place,” the Police Commissioner said.