NIA raids 30 locations across Bengaluru in connection with last month's riots

The central agency arrested Sayed Saddiq Ali (44), a bank recovery agent, who, according to NIA, is the key conspirator in the riots, said a Hindustan Times report.

NIA took over the investigation formally on Tuesday last. It said Ali had been untraceable since the night the riots broke out.

Over 300 people, some of them SDPI members, have been arrested in connection with arson and violence in Bengaluru on August 11. The rioters had targetted the Pulakeshinagar Congress MLA R Akhanda Srinivas Murthy and his sister over a social media post allegedly offensive to Islam.

A police station and the residence of the Congress MLA were vandalised while scenes of arson were witnessed.

The clash later shifted around the premises of DJ Halli and KG Halli police stations where a mob started pelting stones and torching vehicles.

Several police jeeps, buses and other vehicles parked in the area were torched in the mob fury.

At least three people were killed and over 50 police personnel were injured in the clashes.

In today's raids, the agency recovered sharp weapons, pellets, airgun, iron rods, some digital devices and incriminating documents related to Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) and Popular Front of India (PFI), added the HT report.

Post the violence, BJP had blamed the SDPI, a political wing of PFI, and demanded a ban on the organisation.

The SDPI had, however, dismissed the allegations and termed them baseless.