Karnataka CM, Dy CM, home minister should take responsibility for stampede: Kumaraswamy
Bengaluru (PTI): JD(S) leader and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Saturday said, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM D K Shivakumar and Home Minister G Parameshwara should take responsibility for the June 4 stampede that killed 11 people, and should resign if they have morality.
He hit out at the government for suspending five police officers including the city police commissioner.
"The suspension of five police officers with haste in connection with this unpleasant incident was unnecessary, if officials are made scapegoats for the mistakes of the government, can the officers work effectively? The government should have thought about it," Kumaraswamy said.
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Speaking to reporters here, he said, those heading the government claim to give a transparent, truthful and loyal administration, and they should understand the public opinion about the decisions they have taken.
"FIR on stampede incident says permission was sought for June 4 victory celebrations at the stadium, even before the match started on June 3. Final match started at 7:30 pm (on June 3) but an application was submitted at 6 pm for the next day's celebration, did they dream about winning the match? Another application was submitted to DAPR for the celebrations in front of Vidhana Soudha, who was behind it? Who put the pressure on the police commissioner at 7:30 am that day (June 4) for permission?" he asked.
The stampede occurred on June 4 evening in front of the Chinnaswamy stadium here, where a large number of people thronged to participate in the RCB team's IPL victory celebrations. Eleven people died and 56 were injured in the incident.
The Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister will have to take the responsibility for the stampede and all the three of them are at fault, former CM said.
ALSO READ: Bengaluru stampede: BJP, JD(S) doing politics over 'dead bodies', says DK Shivakumar
"What was the need to felicitate the team within 24 hours of the team's victory? Fine, what kind of felicitation was done? Was such a slipshod felicitation needed? If they have morality they should resign. But these days politicians, I can't expect it from them, but as an opposition party, we have demanded. We are not in a miserable state to do politics on dead bodies, such a situation will never come," he added.
Shivakumar on Friday had accused opposition BJP and JD(S) of doing politics over dead bodies.
The Karnataka Congress on Friday recalled the law-and-order breakdown after the death of thespian Dr Rajkumar when H D Kumaraswamy was the chief minister of the JD(S)-BJP coalition government in 2006, to counter the opposition's attack now.
Reacting to this Kumaraswamy said, "Some elements have tried to create nuisance and unrest during Rajkumar's death. That led to shooting and two deaths. I have openly accepted it, why link that incident with this stampede?"
Hitting out at Shivakumar, Kumaraswamy asked, "What is his achievement? What has he achieved or done? What is his contribution in the last two years for Bengaluru city and the state?"
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Pak police registers case against unidentified gunmen for opening fire on LeT co-founder
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Lahore (PTI): Pakistan's Punjab Police on Friday registered a case against unidentified gunmen for opening fire on Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) co-founder Amir Hamza, who suffered bullet injuries in the attack in Lahore.
On Thursday, two unidentified gunmen riding on a bike opened fire on the vehicle of the private TV channel 24NewsHD TV, owned by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, on Peco Road in Lahore near the TV channel's office.
In the attack, Hamza suffered bullet injuries.
"The FIR has been registered against unidentified gunmen, but it is sealed forthwith," a senior police officer told PTI.
He said the intelligence agencies have taken over this case from the police, and they are currently investigating the matter.
The channel's religious programme host Justice (retd.) Nazir Ahmed Ghazi and Hamza were in the vehicle when it was attacked. Hamza was shifted to a hospital for treatment.
Punjab police on Friday said that "upon receiving information about the incident, the SSP Operations immediately reached the scene and a high alert was imposed in the area. SSP Operations Tauqeer Naeem also met the affected individuals. Thankfully, all present in the vehicle remained safe during the firing."
It further said senior police officers of the Township and Chung, along with a heavy police contingent, were present at the scene.
"Police collected evidence from the site and initiated an investigation. Efforts to arrest the suspects are underway using CCTV footage and geo-fencing techniques. Search and sweep operations are being conducted at various locations, with scrutiny of suspicious individuals ongoing," police said.
It added that those involved in the incident will be traced and arrested soon.
The police sources said that Hamza has been shifted to his residence in Jauhar Town, Lahore, where police and agency personnel met him.
The leadership of the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML), a political front of Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed's banned Jamat-ud-Dawah (JuD), including Hafiz Saeed's son Hafiz Talha Saeed, also called on him.
TV host retired Justice Ghazi, who remained unhurt in the attack, remained a legal counsel for Hafiz Saeed, they said.
The PMML has strongly condemned the attack on Hamza and demanded that those involved in the incident be arrested immediately.
Hamza is regarded as LeT's second most important leader after its chief Hafiz Saeed, who has been in Lahore's Kot Lakhpat Jail since 2019 after getting convicted for several years in terror financing cases.
Hamza has been designated as a terrorist by the US. In the past, he served as the head of LeT's "special campaigns" department.
In 2018, Hamza formed a fundraising group for the LeT following a ban on the JuD and Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation by the Pakistani government.
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