Police in India’s Uttar Pradesh state have arrested a former political activist who had announced a reward of about US $ 68,000 for anyone killing Naveen, nephew of Bengaluru legislator A. Srinivasa Murthy. Naveen was arrested for an offensive social media post, which had triggered neighbourhood riots during the night of 11-12 August, in which three persons died in a firefight with police and another succumbed to injuries in hospital later.
Uttar Pradesh police arrested the former political activist Shahzeb Rizvi on Sunday from Meerut, 80 kilometres east of national capital Delhi. Rizvi, in a video, had announced the reward to anyone “who brings the head” of Naveen, for hurting “Muslim community’s sentiments”.
A senior police officer of Meerut, Ajay Sahni said, Rizvi was arrested after a preliminary investigation on charges of “wanton vilification or attacks upon religion, race...”
Rioters in Bengaluru had also torched the residence of Murthy and a police station, in addition to dozens of vehicles. Karnataka Police have arrested over 200 people and detained many others for questioning in the case.
