City police arrest 3 for vandalising posters of freedom fighter Tipu Sultan

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru

The City Police have arrested three people for allegedly tearing up a poster featuring the image of Tipu Sultan, which was put on display by the Karna[1]taka Congress near Hudson Circle in the city, ahead of the 76th Independence Day.

According to sources from the police, the arrested persons include Puneeth Kerehalli, president of an organisation named Rashtra Rakshana Pade.

 The accused can be seen vandalizing the poster in video footage of the incident which went viral on social media platforms.

The arrests were carried out by the Halasuru Gate police based on a complaint filed by the Rajajinagar Congress party functionary Manjunath, police said. The complaint was filed on August 14 under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act 1971, and out[1]raging of religious feelings (under Section 295A of the IPC).

 Karnataka Pradesh Congress Chief DK Shivaku[1]mar, who described Tipu Sultan as a liberation fighter, later visited the incident site.

 "Someone is trying to create a disturbance in the state. They are not able to digest the Freedom March by the Congress," he had said.

It is being said that Tipu Sultan's poster was vandal[1]ised here by the members of Rastra Rakshana Pade, while opposing the incident at Shivamogga district where a group of Tipu's followers tried to replace the banners of Savarkar at the Ameer Ahmad Circle of the city.

 The Shivamogga police resorted to mild lathicharge over the incident and Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) was imposed in the district later. According to the law, any member of ‘unlawful assembly’ can be booked for engaging in rioting.

 Meanwhile, the Bengaluru police are investigating the case here.