Are fringe elements above the law? Scofflaws on the roll in K'taka

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: In yet another attempt to disturb religious harmony in the city, a person claiming to be a Hindutva member, assaulted local restaurant staff for refusing to serve him Biryani at midnight.

According to sources, the assailant also pushed several policemen and issued threats to have them suspended from their respective jobs. The accused was identified as T Ramesh Gowda and the incident took place in Kodigehalli police station limits in Bengaluru. However it came to light only after a video of the incident surfaced recently.

According to the complaint filed by the restaurant manager, Gowda along with several associates entered the restaurant around 11:45 pm and demanded Biryani to be served. However the staff told him that it was closing time and requested him to visit the next day. Enraged at being refused food, Gowda and his associates began vandalizing the restaurant including the cash counter.

Noticing an Islamic board with Quranic text on the restaurant wall, Gowda brought it down and threw it on the floor in rage. The staff who tried to stop him were beaten up by Gowda and his associates. A video clip shows Gowda throwing the board claiming it to be a "Pakistani" slogan. A Hoysala patrolling team picked up a distress call made by the hotel staff and reached the spot.

Failing to contain the situation initially, the team requested additional backup following which Gowda was apprehended and taken to the jurisdictional police station. Sources from the police said that even during interrogation, the accused continued to behave violently by throwing objects around at the police station.

The accused claimed to be a member of Karnataka Rakshana Sene when asked by the Sub-inspector of police Kaushik NV. However soon after his arrest, the accused was released on bail following which he was made to publicly apologize to the community for hurting religious sentiments.

The police department and local authorities have reassured the public that such acts of violence and discrimination will not be tolerated, emphasizing their commitment to upholding the law and ensuring the safety and security of all citizens, regardless of their religious or cultural backgrounds.