The Karnataka Police took action on Tuesday by detaining Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje, along with BJP MLA Suresh Kumar, alongside numerous Hindu activists and party supporters. This move came as they protested against the assault on a shop owner who had been playing the 'Hanuman Chalisa'.
Tensions escalated within the Halasurugate police station limits following the incident. Hindu activists and BJP supporters gathered in Nagarathpet, where they commenced playing the 'Hanuman Chalisa' despite attempts by the police to apprehend Mukhesh, the victim and owner of the mobile shop.
BJP MLA Suresh Kumar strongly criticized the police's actions, questioning why they were taking the victim into custody. When the police persisted in their efforts to detain him, MLA Suresh Kumar intervened, standing in front of the police vehicle in protest.
MLA Suresh Kumar was forcibly removed and detained by the police, while Shobha Karandlaje, also present at the scene to support the protest, was likewise taken into custody.
Hindu activists alleged that instead of apprehending the real culprits behind the attack on Mukhesh, the police had wrongfully arrested individuals not involved in the incident.
Expressing his dismay while being taken into police custody, Mukhesh stated, "This is not Bengaluru. The injustices here are reminiscent of what we witnessed in Kashmir. We are being targeted... I was merely playing the Hanuman Chalisa at my shop. The attackers questioned me about playing it near a mosque during the 6:30 p.m. namaz and then assaulted me."
Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya visited the shop and called for protests and the widespread chanting of the Hanuman Chalisa across the city.
The incident occurred in Bengaluru on March 17, prompting the police to register a case under various sections of the Indian Penal Code including 506, 504, 149, 307, 323, and 324.
Following a complaint filed by the shopkeeper, 26-year-old Mukhesh, against individuals including Suleman, Shanavaz, Rohit, Dyanish, Taruna, and others, the police took action.
In his complaint, Mukhesh detailed how he was attacked by intruders who stormed into his shop on Jumma Masjid Road on Sunday evening, objecting to the music being played on speakers. He reported being threatened with his life and assaulted with weapons.
The Karnataka BJP condemned the Congress government's handling of the incident, accusing radical extremist elements of openly terrorizing Hindus on the streets.
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