CoD probe ordered into Mangalore riots

The Karnataka Government has ordered an inquiry by the Corps of Detective (CoD) into the recent riots in Mangalore, which claimed two lives and left more than 70 people injured.

Making the announcement, Karnataka’s Home Minister M P Prakash said the Government had taken a serious note of the communal disturbances in Mangalore. “We will assure the victims of the communal disturbances that the culprits will not be spared”, said Prakash, who belongs to the JD (S).

The Government’s decision to order a CoD probe comes despite its coalition partner BJP’s disapproval to the idea of holding any inquiry into the riots. Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, who belongs to the BJP, had recently ruled out any investigation into the riots. “There is no need for any sort of investigation”, the Deputy Chief Minister had ruled.

However, the tide turned against the BJP following JD (S) leader from Mangalore Vasanth Bangera holding the BJP responsible for the riots, much to the consternation of the BJP leadership.

JD (S) supremo and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda is understood to have directed his son and Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy to order a CoD probe. A team of officials headed by CoD Director General of Police K N Srinivas has already visited the riot-torn town to take stock of the situation.

Meanwhile, the Mangalore unit of JD (S) has sought a judicial probe into the violence in Mangalore and blamed Minister for Ports and Fisheries Nagaraj Shetty, who is also the Minister in charge of Mangalore district, for the communal flare-up. JD (S) leader Vasanth Bangera has held Shetty directly responsible for the riots in Mangalore.