Bangalore 365

The Bangalore police have rounded up 24 people to ascertain who were behind Tuesday night’s attack on the residence here of Selvi, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi’s daughter, and the subsequent burning of a Tamil Nadu State Express Transport Corporation bus on the outskirts of the city, in which two passengers were charred to death.

Police Commissioner Neelam Achuta Rao told The Hindu on Wednesday that it was too early to conclude whether the two incidents were related. The descriptions of the attackers given by the security guard at Ms. Selvi’s house in the J.P. Nagar police station limits and by the bus driver did not tally, Mr. Rao said.

However, the possibility of two groups from the same organisation carrying out the attacks could not be ruled out. There was no information to indicate that Sangh Parivar activists were involved in the attacks as was being rumoured, Mr. Rao said.

There is speculation that the attacks were a sequel to Mr. Karunanidhi’s remarks on Rama in the context of the Sethusamudram project.

Ten minutes after the attack on Ms. Selvi’s house, a person, claiming to be a member of a Parivar organisation, called up this correspondent to inform him of the incident and asked that a photographer be sent to the spot.

Mr. Rao said patrolling was intensified in the city and pickets were posted on important roads. The police were yet to establish the identity of the deceased bus passengers.

Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and Home Minister M.P. Prakash condemned the attacks. Mr. Prakash had a telephonic conversation with Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil and Mr. Karunanidhi.

Following the torching of the bus, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation on Tuesday night cancelled six Chennai-bound services. The Tamil Nadu Transport Corporation also suspended its services. The two corporations resumed regular operations after 10 a.m. on Wednesday. Source:Hindu

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