A violent Islamic mob launched an attack on the Udayagiri Police Station on Monday (10 February 2025) night in Mysuru, Karnataka, injuring at least 14 police personnel, including two inspectors. As per Kannada Prabha, the attack, triggered by a WhatsApp status posted by a Hindu youth, Suresh, once again highlights the growing trend of Islamist violence and mob justice in Karnataka. The incident transpired in the Udayagiri police station limits, which is a Muslim-majority area of the city.

The unrest began after Suresh posted a meme related to the BJP’s Delhi election victory, which allegedly hurt the sentiments of the Islamic community. Enraged Islamists gathered outside the Udayagiri Police Station, demanding immediate action. Despite the police taking suo motu cognizance, arresting the youth, and registering a case against him, the mob refused to disperse and resorted to large-scale violence.

According to reports, agitators alleged that the social media post which triggered them showed Muslims in a bad light. The post, with pictures resembling political leaders Rahul Gandhi, Aravind Kejriwal and Akhilesh Yadav, titled ‘three idiots’, had a person performing namaz, with Arabic word written all over. Police said they filed a suo moto case and arrested the accused Hindu youth Suresh, 32, a resident of Kalyangiri Nagar.

Detailed account of the horrific incident

What happened at midnight on February 10th at the Udayagiri Police Station in Mysuru was recounted in a detailed manner in a thread by social media account, TheTreeni, in X. This was one of the most brutal attacks on police in recent times by Islamists, who raised provocative slogans, pelted stones, created arson, injuring 14 police officers in the process.

At 2 am in the night, a Muslim mob of 1000+ gathered outside the Udayagiri Police Station to protest against a meme and demanding the arrest of Suresh. It was a meme posted on WhatsApp by Suresh. The meme visibly seems harmless. All it had was the former Delhi CM wearing a skull cap.

The mob started shouting provocative slogans demanding not just the arrest of Suresh but far brutal action against him, as seen in the visuals captured. It is alleged that after provocative slogans by Maulvi Mufti Mushtaq Maqbuli, over 1,000 Islamists started protesting and later attacked the police station.

The below footage reveals how a police convoy was attacked by the stone pelters. This is reminiscent of the brutal mob violence perpetrated by Islamists in Kashmir or Gaza; and unfortunately is being replicated in Karnataka’s Mysuru.

Furthermore, CCTV footage revealed that there were incidents of arson too along with the stone pelting.

BJP bashes Congress govt of minority appeasement

Former MP Pratap Simha condemned the stone-pelting incident and expressed his anger against the state government. “Yesterday, protesters from the Muslim community attacked a police station. An incident has taken place in Mysore where civil society has bowed its head. There are always attacks targeting the police here. The same thing continues even now. This is evidence of how CM Siddaramaiah’s administration is. Siddaramaiah’s is not a Kannadigas’ government. This is a Taliban government,” he said.

During his visit to the police station on Tuesday afternoon, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka condemned the mob for resorting to violence even after the police took the man into custody for allegedly sharing a derogatory social media post. Drawing parallels between the Congress government’s controversial decision to withdraw cases against individuals involved in a similar attack on a police station in Hubballi, Ashoka blamed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for setting a precedent that emboldened such people.

Former CM Basavaraj Bommai said the Mysuru incident is similar to the ones in Mangaluru, KG Halli in Bengaluru and Hubballi. “When we were in power, we had taken action against miscreants. But the Congress government withdrew cases against them. How did these people get the courage to attack the police? Are there any politicians behind them,’’ he asked.

BJP state president BY Vijayendra said the government has to take action against the miscreants or things will get worse. He too blamed appeasement politics for such incidents.

Police use CCTV footage to arrest accused, monitor social media posts to track miscreants

As per latest reports, the City Crime Branch (CCB) has so far arrested 16 individuals in connection with the incident. The investigation team, led by CCB Assistant Commissioner of Police S.N. Sandesh Kumar (now transferred abruptly) along with Inspectors K.C. Poovaiah and Mohan and team, identified the accused through CCTV footage. During questioning, the arrested individuals admitted to their involvement in the violence.

Police reviewed video footage and photographic evidence with the suspects during interrogations, which continued until late yesterday. So far, authorities have identified around 50 suspects, while over a thousand people were present at the scene. Many were seen hurling stones at the Udayagiri Police Station and Police vehicles, injuring seven officers and personnel. DCP M. Mutturaju’s car and over five other vehicles sustained damage, including shattered windows.

According to the FIR, the mob coordinated the attack via WhatsApp, mobile messages, and social media before assembling near the Police Station. CCTV footage revealed that several individuals collected stones from different locations, packed them in bags and actively participated in the assault.

The local Police, including teams from N.R. Mohalla, Lashkar Mohalla and Nazarbad Police Stations, have intensified their search for the absconding suspects. Apart from CCTV footage, social media posts by the public are being screened to identify the culprits. Inflammatory speeches made to provoke the stone-pelting are also under the Police radar. 

Meanwhile, Home Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara visited the Udayagiri Police Station, the epicentre of the attack, this afternoon. Dr. Parameshwara inquired about the individuals arrested and questioned the Police on measures being taken to nab those still at large. As per a government release, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has directed the police to take strict action against those responsible for instigating the violence. The CM instructed authorities to identify those involved in pelting sones at the police station and those who incited the violence.