BENGALURU: An apartment owner in Yelahanka, who took a stand against the legality of the residents association and its bid to mobilise funds recently for a new project, was allegedly beaten with a car lock remote and kicked in his private parts by association members on Sunday. The victim, who is hospitalised, has filed a police complaint against five association members.
Dr Sunil Kumar Hebbi, who was also allegedly issued death threats, was assaulted on the premises of the Kendriya Vihar Apartments that has 603 flats at Kogilu Cross. His complaint names Sunil Yadav, Ugrappa, Shivprasad, Chandan and an unknown fifth person for the attack.
Dr Hebbi contended that resident welfare associations registered under the Karnataka Society Registrar Act 1960, like in the present one, are not legal.
Dr Hebbi, who runs three ‘Mobile on wheels’ clinics -- one of them free of cost for the poor, told TNIE, “I have been living here for three years now. The association is not legal. It has collected a corpus fund of Rs 6 crore from the residents. It does not have the right to do so. I also paid. The Association recently planned to start a new project for Rs 7 crore, including painting the houses and other works, and had fixed huge sums to be paid by each family.”
Dr Hebbi approached the District Registrar of Cooperative Societies, who on March 18 froze the corpus fund of the Association.
Dr Hebbi said, “I went to take my medicine from my car which was near the lift. Yadav, who was standing nearby with his family, started abusing me and said I froze their funds. He used the car lock remote to hit me on my head. His parents and wife too abused me. Four others mentioned in the complaint joined them and they started kicking me and tried to strangulate me saying they would kill me. A resident, Balaguru, came to my help and I ran away from the spot.”
He then went to the Yelahanka police, who registered an FIR invoking Sections 506, 504, 323, 324 and 34 of the IPC, which deal with criminal intimidation and hurt caused deliberately by weapons.
Dr Hebbi is now being treated at KC General Hospital. “Though external injuries are minor, the doctors are suspecting internal injuries,” he said.
The Association Secretary could not be reached despite multiple attempts.