BANGALORE, Aug 17 (IANS): Three people were arrested Friday for allegedly assaulting three workers from the northeast at a shopping mall in the city centre, a senior police official said.
“The three accused – Abrar Ahmed, Salman and Vinay – aged around 22-24, were arrested under section 153 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for assaulting three people from Manipur,” Bangalore Deputy Commissioner of Police (central) Ravikante Gowda told IANS.
The victims had gone to Big Bazaar located in the Shantinagar bus terminal of the state-run Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) for shopping when they were attacked.
Police withheld names of the victims for their safety and security reasons.
“The victims filed a complaint at the Wilson Garden police station that they were chased by the accused from the shopping mall and beaten up suddenly when they were walking on the Double Road leading to the Lalbagh garden,” Gowda said.
Police began interrogating the accused to ascertain why they had attacked the three Manipuris and if more people were involved in the incident.
“We are investigating the incident from all angles. The accused will be produced in a local court Saturday after interrogation and for further remand,” Gowda added.
Meanwhile another news agency has reported that five persons were arrested on Friday on the charge of spreading rumours that triggered the exodus of people hailing from Northeastern states residing in Karnataka, Chief Minister Jagdish Shettar said on Friday.
He said four other persons have been identified and they are going to be arrested soon.
“Five persons have already been arrested (for spreading rumours). Some four more people are there. Their names have been identified. They (Police) are going to arrest more persons also,” Shettar told reporters here.
In an effort to instil confidence among fear-stricken people of the North East residing in the state, the Chief Minister claimed normalcy has returned to the state with no reports about exodus on Friday.
He warned more arrests are likely in connection with the incident and reached out to people from the region that they can be as safe as they were earlier in the southern state.
As a Bangalorean, I ask you brothers and sisters from the north east, please do not panic and flee.
Please stay, you will be safe.
Stay in close touch with the police and take precautions like always moving in groups, buy pepper spray etc.
You must be UNITED and make a stand.