AIMIM leader arrested in Hubballi case

Hubballi police on Saturday arrested another All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader in connection with violence reported in the district on April 17. The accused has been identified as Naseer Honnalli, a local AIMIM leader, said Hubballi police commissioner Labhu Ram. According to the commissioner, he was part of the violence that took place outside the Hubballi town police station and his exact involvement is being probed.

“We have arrested 138 people in the case so far. The investigation is ongoing. We are going through all the evidence to identify if these arrested people, including the political leaders, had any role in instigating violence,” Labhu Ram said.

The development comes two days after the Karnataka police arrested AIMIM leader — also a cleric — Waseem Pathan from Belagavi. He is being questioned, said a police official.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader and the leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah said that the state can ban organisations like SDPI, AIMIM, RSS if they have the guts. “No one will object,” he said. “If you have the guts do it. The organisations that are disturbing peace in the society do it (ban them). Whether SDPI, AIMIM, RSS, Bajrang Dal, do it. We don’t have any objections,” Siddaramaiah told reporters.

The reaction came after home minister Araga Jnanendra blamed “unseen hands”, including certain organisations behind the recent violence in Hubballi.