There was another violent clash between two groups of young men near Bengaluru’s iconic Vidhana Soudha, which has raised public disturbance fears in the city. The clash was captured on video recently by the Vidhana Soudha Police, and four youths were arrested.
The fight was reported to have started on the footpath in front of Vidhana Soudha, one of Karnataka’s major government buildings. There are early reports that the conflict began over a photo-taking argument. What started as a verbal dispute soon turned into a physical battle between two groups.
Witnesses said tension was exacerbated when one group seemed to be protesting a group of people who objected to them trying to come in the way when photographs were taken. That was when they began to get in the way, and the fight was at the scene with the two groups in full public view and people who were not part of it. Passersby came to the scene as the fighting intensified, making things worse and panic and attracting more and more attention to the scene. The crowd thickened, and the city was crowding around it.
Videos of the incident were recorded by witnesses and were shared on social media. The video shows young people scuffling on the pavement and others intervening and separating the individuals involved. The video spread widely, and people felt anxious about repeated public violence in the city (even online).
From the information about the disturbance, officers from Vidhana Soudha police station rushed to the scene and brought the situation under control. Police investigated the situation and collected statements from those involved.
Four youths, reportedly of Nepalese origin, were arrested in connection with the clash, authorities said later. The police are trying to figure out the sequence of events and whether there were still individuals involved.
The viral video footage has also been examined as part of the investigation. CCTV recordings from nearby areas are being examined to get more evidence and hold them accountable for the disturbance.
The incident has brought back thoughts of order in such sensitive and high-security places as Vidhana Soudha. Because of its proximity to the city, police have stressed that violence and disorder will be dealt with in a strictly legal manner.
Residents and commuters have asked police to beef up surveillance and security measures around the country’s major public spots to prevent the same thing from happening in the future. Police have advised people not to confront each other but to go to court to resolve disputes.
The case is still under investigation, and decisions will be taken based on the police evidence. Any individuals who will be held responsible for the clash will have to pay the price, they added.
