At least three people died and dozens of people were left injured in the Indian city of Bengaluru on Tuesday night after police opened fire at a mob protesting a "derogatory post" that allegedly insulted the Prophet Mohammad.
The post is said to have been shared on social media by P. Naveen, nephew of Karnataka Congress state legislator Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy from Pulakeshinagar.
A total of 110 people have been arrested in connection with the violence. The wounded also included 60 policemen, local media reported.
According to media reports, protesters reached police stations to file their complaints against the now-deleted Facebook post.
Naveen claimed that his Facebook account had been hacked and he had no idea about the post that was causing the upheaval.
Demonstrators later gathered in front of the house of Naveen's uncle and state legislator Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy, located in the city’s Kaval Byrsandra area, and began hurling stones. Hundreds of cars parked outside were also set on fire, police said.
Photos and videos of the violence have gone viral on social media. Senior Karnataka Congress leader Dinesh Gundu Rao also tweeted about the "horrible situation" last night.
In the midst of the violence, a group of Muslim protesters formed a human chain to protect any attack on Hindu temples in the area in a bid to prevent a further deterioration of the situation.
Sandeep Patil, the Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime), Bengaluru, has revealed to the media that P. Naveen, the nephew of the Congress legislator, has also been arrested.
Karnataka state chief B.S Yediyurappa said strict action would be taken against the guilty people who caused the attacks.
He wrote on Twitter: "The attack on journalists, the police, and the public in the riot last night is unpredictable. The government will not tolerate such provocations and rumours. Strict action against perpetrators is certain".