The NIA Special Court has sentenced three individuals to seven years in prison in connection with the 2020 DJ Halli and KG Halli riots in Bengaluru. The convicted—Syed Ikramuddin (44), Syed Asif (46), and Mohammad Atif—were also fined Rs 20,000 each.

The court found the trio guilty of criminal conspiracy and their role in setting fire to the KG Halli police station during the violence that erupted on August 11, 2020. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) investigated the case and filed the charge sheet. Special Public Prosecutor Prasanna Kumar argued the case on behalf of the NIA.

The riots, triggered by an alleged inflammatory social media post by the nephew of Congress MLA Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy, saw over 3,000 people rampaging through parts of the city. The mob torched the residences of MLA Murthy, his sister Jayanthi, and the DJ Halli and KG Halli police stations.

During the attack, the three convicts, all supporters of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political arm of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI), set vehicles outside the police station on fire as part of a conspiracy hatched with district leaders of the organisation to spread terror and panic in the society.

The investigations by the NIA, which took over the case from the local police in September 2020, revealed that the trio had also instigated others to join the attack.

The NIA found evidence establishing the commission of a terrorist act by the accused using an inflammable substance (petrol) and damage to public and private property to the tune of nearly Rs 14 lakh, the statement said.

The accused were chargesheeted in February 2021 and in June 2025, they pleaded guilty to all the charges against them, it added.

The violence led to the deaths of three individuals in police firing, while another person succumbed to abdominal injuries sustained during the unrest. Nearly 90 vehicles were torched, and scores were injured—including around 70 police personnel and 35 civilians.

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