Bengaluru violence: Meerut bounty announcer arrested

In a video, he purportedly announces a bounty of ₹51 lakh on the head of Karnataka MLA R. Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy’s nephew

The Rapid Action Force personnel taking out a flag march in the riot-hit D.J. Halli in Bengaluru .

A Meerut man was arrested on Friday evening for allegedly disturbing communal harmony after a video went viral where he purportedly announces a bounty of ₹51 lakh on the head of the nephew of Karnataka MLA R Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy for a post on social media that allegedly hurt Muslims’ religious sentiments.

Avinash Pandey, Superintendent of Police (Rural), Meerut, said Shahazeb Rizvi, a resident of Rasoolpur village in Phalwada town of Meerut, has been arrested and booked under Sections 153 A (promoting enmity between religious groups) and 505 (2) (intent to incite one community against the other) of the IPC. “We had taken note of the video. He has been charged with disturbing communal harmony,” he added.

In the video, Mr. Rizvi could be heard making an appeal for contribution to the bounty money. He is said to have been associated with the Samajwadi Party’s minority cell and has fought a zila panchayat election. But now he describes himself as a social worker.

Meanwhile, the National Commission For Scheduled Castes has written to the SSP Meerut that the Sections of the IPC invoked by the police against Mr. Rizvi were weak and has listed around two dozen more Sections, including Sections of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989, which should be added to the FIR.

“We haven’t received the letter yet. The body is advisory in nature. If during the investigation, we find that other Sections are needed to be added we will surely do,” said Mr Pandey.

He appealed to the media not to sensationalise the case. “The man has been associated with a political party in the past and he could have a political agenda behind such provocative messages as panchayat elections are round the corner,” he added.