The World - News from Dec. 8, 1986

Six people were killed and about 50, including 31 policemen, were injured in riots in the southern Indian city of Bangalore after publication of a newspaper story that offended Muslims. Police said the deaths occurred when officers opened fire on a mob of 5,000 trying to set fire to the offices of the Deccan Herald newspaper. The paper had printed a short story entitled “Mohammed the Idiot” about a handicapped youth named Mohammed, whom it referred to as “a deaf and dumb prophet.” The Muslims, a minority of about 10% in the city, saw this reference as an insult to their religion, whose founder was Mohammed.