At least two persons were killed, dozens, including policemen, injured during violence that broke out in Bengaluru on Tuesday night after a relative of Congress MLA posted derogatory post against on social media targetting a community.

A mob rampaged through Bengaluru’s Pulakeshi Nagar Tuesday night and vandalised a police station and the Congress legislator Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy’s residence whose relative had allegedly shared the Facebook post, police said.

In the ensuing violence, two persons were killed and around 60 police personnel sustained injuries, ANI news agency quoted police as saying. Section 144 has been imposed in the entire Bengaluru city, police said.

Police said they have arrested around 100 person in connection with the violence.

Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa said on Wednesday that strict action will be taken against those responsible for the violence.

Meanwhile, the police have arrested the person who had posted the derogatory post on Facebook. “The accused has been arrested for sharing derogatory posts on social media,” Bengaluru Police Commissioner Kamal Pant said.

A large number of people gathered near MLA Murthy’s residence and vandalised it and damaged the vehicles parked there.

The mob then targeted the police station and damaged vehicles believing that the police had kept the accused detained there, they said.

The police teams that tried to contain the violence also bore the brunt of the mob as their vehicles were damaged, eye-witnesses said.

Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said riots and arson are against law and warned the rioters that he has given police a free hand to contain the violence.

Later, MLA Murthy appealed to the community members to not resort to violence.

“I am appealing to my Muslim brethren that we should not resort to violence for the fault committed by some miscreants. There is no need to fight. We all are brothers. We will get the person punished as per law. We will also be with you. I appeal to the Muslim friends to be calm,” he said in a video message.

Congress MLA and former minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan said the violence was unfortunate.

“I am hopeful that police will take action against all those who are responsible for this. I also request everyone to stay calm and maintain peace in the area,” Khan tweeted.

After learning about the incident, the Bengaluru Police Commissioner Kamal Pant had rushed to the spot but his intervention too did not stop the rioters.

Later, the Bengaluru police tweeted that it had to lathi-charged the mob, lob the tear gas and finally open fire to control them. Dozens of protesters have been arrested.

The police said the culprits of Tuesday’s violence and arson will not be spared.

(With PTI inputs)