Eid-Milad clash: Kerehalli among 6 held; 3 FIRs lodged

Bengaluru

A clash during an Eid-Milad procession on K.R. Road in Basavanagudi on Wednesday evening led to arrests of members from both groups, with police registering three FIRs and separately tak ing two juveniles into custody. Self-proclaimed activist Puneeth Kerehalli and his associates K Gopigowda, 26, and A Vinod Nayak, 24, were arrested for allegedly provoking communal tension by raising inflammatory slogans during the procession. Three men from the procession -- Akmal Pasha, J Aboobakar Siddiqui and A Syed Imran — were also arrested for allegedly assaulting Kerehalli and his associates.

Police said Kerehalli and his associates had allegedly approached the procession near Garadi Apartment carrying saffron flags and raising ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans, and objected to members of the Muslim com munity raising slogans. Police personnel inter vened and tried to prevent the situation from escalating. However, police alleged that some members of the procession attacked Muruli with a weapon. According to police, Kerehalli initially refused to leave the spot and sat on the road, raising slogans, while Muruli remained injured. Senior police officers eventually shifted Muruli to Victoria Hospital.

Kerehalli and two others were also taken to the hospital along with Basavanagudi po lice personnel. Police also registered a separate case against Kerehalli and others fol lowing a complaint by a police officer for allegedly creating a public nuisance. Two juveniles who were part of the Eid-Milad procession were separately taken into custody for al legedly attacking Kerehalli and his associates. They were produced be fore a juvenile court and sent to a juvenile home. “Three FIRs have been registered - one against Kerehalli and others, a counter-case based on his complaint and another for traffic obstruction.

Six persons have been arrested and produced before the court. Further investigation is under way,” said DCP (South Bengaluru) Koni Vamsi Krishna. Members of the procession, however, alleged that Kerehalli made provocative and derogatory remarks against Muslims. Abdul Razack Khan, a procession member who lodged the complaint, told News Trail that Kerehalli allegedly made threatening and derogatory remarks against Muslims. “We had tableaus designed of the holy Kaaba and the holy Gumbad and ensured that people may not carry swords or such things. A peaceful procession was pass ing by when this person came down and started sloganeering,” Khan said. According to Khan, members of the procession initially ignored the alleged provocation and continued moving.

How ever, Kerehalli allegedly walked towards the procession and attempted to stall it, after which the situation escalated into a scuffle. “I am anticipating strict action against these people. For every action, there would be a reaction, so we give a legal reaction for it,” Khan said. Police are investigating the circumstances leading to the clash and the allegations made in the three cases.Puneeth Kerehalli, a right wing activist associated with Rashtra Rakshana Pade, has repeatedly figured in police cases involving alleged assault, criminal intimidation, cow vigilantism and communal controver In 2023, Bengaluru Police cited six cases since 2021, including the Idrees Pasha death case, assault and criminal intimidation, while proposing his inclusion on the rowdy list.

He was arrested in connection with the Ramanagara death of cattle transporter Idrees Pasha, who was allegedly intercepted and assault ed by Kerehalli and asso ciates while transporting cattle. Kerehalli was later granted bail by the Kar nataka High Court. Police also cited an al leged assault on cattle transporter Aleemulla Baig, a Begur Lake reli gious-statue case, an SC/ ST Act case and a Covid norms violation case. A September 2025 Kar nataka High Court order recorded that preven tive proceedings against him were based on ma terial showing more than 15 FIRs. In January 2026, he was arrested in separate cas es involving allegations of entering migrant work ers’ homes and threaten ing or questioning them, and assault. A member of the pro cession, seeking strict action, said, “Kerehalli re peatedly tries to create an ‘us versus them’ divide and makes Islamophobic statements. Police should take cognisance of his conduct and act before such provocations es calate into communal tensions."