Maddur clash: Police take 7 accused into custody for questioning; Action against 2 police officers

MANDYA: Two days after 22 people were arrested in connection with the stone pelting at a Ganesha idol immersion procession in Maddur, the police have taken custody of seven of them and have begun questioning them. The police have identified 29 people in the stone-pelting case and are on the lookout for seven others.

Those who were arrested were earlier handed over to judicial custody. With normalcy slowly returning to Maddur, the police have taken the mastermind Irfan and six others into custody for questioning. The police are looking into all angles, including conspiracy, behind the incident.

Meanwhile, the government on Friday ordered the transfer of Mandya Additional SP Thimmaiah and suspended Maddur circle police inspector Shivakumar M following the stone-pelting incident near the mosque at Ram Rahim Nagar in the town.

In Bengaluru, Home Minister G Parameshwara justified the transfer of Additional SP Thimmaiah in connection with the Maddur violence in Mandya, saying that the department took action after internal security lapses were found.

“Internal security lapses were found, and when lapses in security occur, the department has to take action. Whether it is an inspector or a sub-inspector, if lapses are found, action must be taken. The department views internal security lapses seriously and that is why action has been taken. Senior officials of the department collect information internally before taking action. I do not sit here and make such decisions myself”, he told reporters.