Continuing the investigation into the violence in Old Hubballi on April 16, the police have arrested Nazeer Ahmed Honyal, a councillor-elect of Hubballi Dharwad Municipal Corporation.
A leader of AIMIM, Nazeer has been elected to HDMC from ward 71. He is yet to take oath as council member due to litigation surrounding the posts of mayor and deputy mayor. Mr. Honyal is allegedly involved in mobilising and instigating the crowd.
The police on Saturday also arrested Mohammed Arif, an accomplice of Waseem Pathan, a ‘Mubaligh’ (preacher), who has been accused of instigating the mob. Close to 140 persons have been arrested so far.
Meanwhile BJP State Secretary Mahesh Tenginakai has said that as local Congress leaders were witnesss to the violence, they should lodge a complaint and assist the police in the investigation. Speaking to presspersons after visiting the Hanuman Temple that suffered damages in the stone pelting, he said the developments and the speed with which the crowd gathered and indulged in violence suggested that it was a well-planned conspiracy. So far, only around 140 had been arrested and all those involved should be arrested and cases should be registered under Goonda Act, he said.
