Mangaluru : The city Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal on Tuesday said a provocative statement referring to Pakistan by those celebrating the Narendra Modi swearing-in ceremony sparked tension leading to stabbing of two BJP workers at Boliyar near here on Sunday night.

Mr. Agrawal told reporters here that those in the victory procession raised slogans: “You people belong to Pakistan and the arrival of Modi has scared you,” near an autorickshaw stand at Boliyar. Following the provocative slogans, people gathered near the Boliyar Masjid. The provocation was not from “Bharat Maata Ki Jai” slogan, he said.

Meanwhile, some individuals riding two-wheelers arrived in front of the Masjid after the procession dispersed. As they continued the celebrations there too, the individuals were chased culminating in the stabbing incident, the Commissioner said.

In this regard, the Masjid committee president has filed a complaint against certain individuals of shouting provocative slogans in front of the Masjid and abusing people standing outside. The Konaje police have registered a case, he said.

Mr. Agrawal said the police had secured 20 people in connection with the stabbing incident and arrested six of them. The individual who allegedly stabbed the two is a rowdy-sheeter and still at large, he said.

Three teams have been formed to investigate the case even as he conducted a peace committee meeting in Konaje police station, the Commissioner said. Peace committee meetings will be called in every police station in the coming days, he added. Mr. Agrawal said the police will keep close watch on social media sites too.

He said the anti-communal wing is doing exceptionally well and during the poll process, it had identified about 300 trouble-makers out of which 75 were externed and eight were booked under the Goonda Act.

Th police have intensified patrolling following the Boliyar incident and thorough checking of those moving in vehicles is being carried out to check for arms.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Siddarth Goyal and other senior officials were present.