KOLAR: A Dalit man was allegedly beaten up over 15 people from an upper caste community for performing puja at a temple in Dodduru Village of Bangarpet taluk. The Budikote police registered a case of assault and atrocity and arrested two people. The search is on for others who are absconding.
Following the complaint, SP Dharani Devi visited the spot along with other top police officials and spoke to the villagers.
Sources said that Muniraju, a resident of Gottaluru, filed the complaint, stating that he visited Doddapura, which is next to his village, to perform the puja at Gangamma temple. At that time, Chandrappa, a resident of Doddapura, his close relative Siddaiah and 15 upper caste people assaulted him, leaving him with bleeding injuries in his head.
Following his complaint, the Budikote police arrested Chandrappa and Siddaiah. Recently, the family of a Dalit boy was fined Rs 60,000 after he touched the idol of the village deity Boothamma at Ullerahalli in Malur taluk. In another incident, villagers of Chintamani taluk in Chikkaballapur district allegedly tied up a minor boy to a pole and beat him up, accusing him of stealing gold ornaments of an upper community girl.
In Kolar Devanahalli, the upper caste people refused to take out a procession of Sree Kateeramma and Gangamma deities through an area where Dalits reside. The incident led to clashes between the two groups in which several were injured. The police brought the situation under control.