BENGALURU: A youth from the north-east, working in Bengaluru, was slapped and assaulted with a rod by neighbours allegedly over a vehicle parking issue. However, members of the north east community have termed it a racial attack.
Though the incident happened on the night of December 26, a video capturing it was released by an association of the north-east community to the police.
The victim Jerry (24) is a native of Mizoram and works as hairdresser in a spa. The neighbours who attacked Jerry have been arrested.
According to police, the incident took place on December 26 around 2 am following a quarrel over vehicle parking on Sampanna Road, RS Palya, Banaswadi.
The accused had a verbal duel with the victim who stayed in the neighbourhood over parking his motorycle outside their house.
The trio slapped and beat up Jerry and threatened him with dire consequences.
The arrested are Clifford Wilson (80), retired security officer, Carlton Wilson (56), former school principal, and Lynn Wilson (54), assistant manager with a private bank. All are residents of RS Palya.
The police have registered a suo motu case under IPC sections 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 341 (wrongful restraint), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (criminal intimidation) reference with 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).
Hemanth Nimbalkar, Additional Commissioner of Police (East) said, “Three persons have been arrested and further investigations are under way.”
The incident comes close on the heels of two other cases, including the molestation of a north-east girl in Kammanahalli on New Year’s Eve and the mysterious accident involving a youth from Arunachal Pradesh on January 7 which left him in coma.
Rini Ralte, co-ordinator of Northeast Solidarity Forum, said, “The boy told me that he was there to celebrate Christmas and rushed down on hearing the sound of a vehicle falling. He went to check if it was his.”
Ralte alleged that without provocation, one of the neighbours started hitting Jerry. “He was crying and begging them not to hit him as he had done no wrong, but other neighbours supported the man and all started hitting him. The accused persons even threatened to kill Jerry.
One neighbour called the police who also blamed the boy,” she alleged, adding that Jerry didn’t want to file a complaint. The video, which was shot by one of the neighbours, was sent to Ralte, who forwarded it to the Banaswadi police.