Mysore/Mysuru: Vijayanagar Police, who are investigating the incident of public assaulting Cops and damaging Police vehicle, following the death of a bike rider when a tipper vehicle ran over the rider on the Ring Road near RMP Quarters on Monday evening, have arrested 13 persons and are interrogating them.

The arrested are 28-year-old Venkatesh of Ganigarahundi in Yelwal hobli, 38-year-old Vinay of Vijayanagar 4th Stage, 25-year-old Madhu of Chikkabagilu village in Malavalli taluk, Mandya,  35-year-old Dandappa of Maratikyathanahalli in Mysuru taluk, 25-year-old Raghu of Ganigarahundi, 23-year-old S. Swamy of Bogadi, 23-year-old Arun of Chinnakurali village in Pandavapura taluk, 40-year-old B. Somashekar of Koorgalli village, 27-year-old Akshay of Dasanakoppal, 35-year-old Srikanth of Bogadi, 30-year-old Vasanth Kumar of Doddekoppal in Pandavapura taluk, 32-year-old Mariswamy of Kamakoppal village in Yelwal hobli and 33-year-old Mohan of Honnenahalli village in Hassan. 

While Dandappa and Raghu were arrested on Monday itself, the remaining 11 accused were arrested yesterday. The Police have launched a hunt to nab Tipper vehicle driver Dhananjay and Tipper owner Bharat, who are absconding.

The Police have registered cases under various sections of the IPC for preventing Government servant from discharging duty, damaging vehicle, assault and attempt to murder among others. The Police have also produced video clippings of the incident as proof.

Vijayanagar Inspector Balakrishna, under the guidance from Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) Dr. A.N. Prakash Gowda (Law and Order) and M.S. Geetha Prasanna (Crime and Traffic), conducted the operation and has succeeded in  nabbing the accused.

It may be recalled that two-wheeler rider Devaraju and his friend Suresh on pillion, were proceeding on the two-wheeler on the Ring Road towards Hinkal on Monday evening. When they neared RMP Quarters, they noticed V.V. Puram Traffic Police conducting checking of vehicles at a distance and allegedly took a U-turn in a bid to escape from the Cops during which Devaraju is said to have lost control of the bike and both fell on the road.

Meanwhile, a tipper vehicle, which was coming from behind, ran over Devaraju killing him on the spot and injuring pillion rider Suresh. The public, who gathered at the spot, holding the Traffic Police responsible for Devaraju’s death and alleging that unscientific way of conducting checking was causing such accidents, assaulted the Police personnel besides damaging the PCR Van.