BENGALURU: The father of a 22-year-old man from Arunachal Pradesh who was assaulted by his house owner arrived in the city and filed another complaint with Hulimavu police. He alleged that the house owner made his son lick his shoe.
According to police, on March 6 around 6.45 pm, Higio Gungtey, a student of a private college, was allegedly assaulted by Hemanth Kumar, an advocate residing in Dodamma Layout.
Gungtey filed a case saying Kumara ssaulted and abused him and forced him to lick the man’s shoe. An investigating official said, “In the investigations, it was evident that Hemanth Kumar had assaulted him but he did not ask him to lick his shoe.”
Investigating officials added that prima facie it was not a racial attack, but a spat over using excess water.
Dr Higio Tama, father of Higio Gungtey, said, “My son Higio Gungtey rented a house with two of his friends in March 2016 paying `12,000 as monthly rent.
“On March 6, one of the tenants told my son that the owner wanted to talk to him. When Gungtey spoke to Kumar over the phone, Kumar started abusing him and his friends for wasting water. My son tried to reason with him but to no avail. At 7.45pm, Kumar came to the house and started beating my son and his roommates,” said Tama.
Tama added that Hemanth had kicked his son. “When his (Kumar’s) shoe slipped off his foot, he ordered my son to put the shoe back on his foot and tie the lace. Later, he ordered my son to lick his shoe, ”he said.
Not a racial attack, say police
While Gungtey’s father has alleged a racial attack, police sources said it did not seem to be such an attack based on prima facie evidence.
A police source said, “Gungtey and his friends were told not bring friends to the room. However, they continued to do so and as a result more water being used.” Boralingaiah, DCP South East, who is also the nodal officer for Northeast Residents Programme of Bengaluru City Police, said, “The case is under investigation. We have taken statements from the victim and accused.”