Srinivas Murthy thanks minister Ashoka, police for prompt action
BENGALURU:
A distraught Pulakeshinagar MLA Akhanda Srinivas Murthy has called for the strictest punishment to be meted out to those responsible for burning and looting his house in Kaval Byrasandra.
Speaking to the press after meeting Revenue Minister R Ashoka on Wednesday, the MLA said, “Never in my constituency have such things happened. We may belong to different religions but we have lived like brothers and sisters.”
He said the rioters were armed with machettes, knives and rods, and tried to burn down his house with petrol bombs. “If this has happened to a public representative like me, what protection can we give the people?” he added.
In tears over the damage caused to his residence, he said, “I have lived in that house for the last 50 years with my father and mother. We were a joint family of 9 living together. My younger brother’s house too has been burnt. Where should we go? I am worried about our safety. I request the government to give us protection.”
Murthy said Revenue Minister R Ashoka rushed to the spot at 3 am. “Our house was looted, sarees and jewellery were stolen. The miscreants had planned to burst the gas cylinder. The police fortunately came to the rescue,” he said, and added that MLAs Zamir Ahmed and Rizwan Arshad tried to calm the rioters.
The MLA said he had “nothing to do” with his sister’s son Naveen (whose post on Facebook supposedly led to the riots). “I can’t say I have any suspicions about SDPI or anyone,” he added.
Thanking the police for their prompt action, he said they alerted him to the situation when he was returning to his house and directed him to another place. He said the Chief Minister has assured him police protection.
