BENGALURU: A money lender allegedly assaulted the headmistress of a school within the school premises in Singanayakanahalli in North Bengaluru. The entire incident was captured on a CCTV camera installed in her office. The dispute is said to have occurred over of a financial dispute. According to police, the incident took place on Monday around 2.30pm when Ramakrishnappa, angry over nonpayment of interest, assaulted the headmistress Asha Rao (48). Asha, a resident of HMT Layout in Jalahalli, started ‘Aryan’, a kindergarten school, about a year ago. She had taken a loan of `70,000 at 10 per cent interest from Ramakrishnappa and had not paid him interest for four months.
Ramakrishnappa had gone to her school many times and had threatened her of dire consequencies if she failed to pay the money. On Monday, when he came, Asha asked the teachers to go out of the room to talk with Ramakrishnappa. When she said that she was unable to pay the interest, an enraged Ramakrishnappa assaulted her. Ramakrishnappa is the father of Janardhan, president of BJP Yuva Morcha unit in Yelahanka. He is also said to be a close associate of Yelahanka MLA S R Vishwanath. He is now absconding and the Rajanukunte police are on the lookout for him. Janardhan was also questioned about his father’s whereabouts. The CCTV footage shows Ramakrishnappa arguing with Asha and then slapping her. He continues to abuse her even as Asha looks shocked and dazed.
Later, he pulls out a wire from his pocket and assaults her multiple times before leaving the place. Asha claimed that the police tried to negotiate a compromise saying that it would be difficult for her to pursue the case. “We spoke to senior police officers and the Home minister after which they registered the case, she added. Her son Shashank said Janardhan does not have any role in the incident. “It is just his father who troubled us for exorbitant interest amounts and assaulted my mother.” Doddaballapur Deputy Superintendent of Police Y Nagaraj said the issue has not come to his notice. “I spoke to Asha on Tuesday morning, but she did not tell me about this. However, I will check with the officials about it,” he added.