The eroding confidence of the North-Easterners in the City got worse on Thursday as students alleged that the Bangalore police were involved in ‘manufacturing’ rumours which started the mass exodus of the community.
Some victims of recent ‘door-to-door’ campaigns by miscreants to scare away North-Eastern migrants were allegedly subjected to similar treatment by local police.
Some students claimed the police were in fact trying to drive the community out of the city.
A student from Mizoram who was attacked on August 15 allegedly faced ‘discriminatory’ action from the Wilson Garden police.
At around 8.30 am when Hakip was leaving his house, two motorcyclists waylaid him and slashed his stomach and throat with knives.
“My brother who was scared by the incident rushed to the nearest police station, 50 meters from his house and tried to register a complaint. But the police did not take him seriously,” said Jimmy (name changed). As a result, Hakip took a flight home on Thursday morning.
In another incident, a Tibetan student who refused to reveal his identity, said a family member was subjected to a similar treatment.
“On Sunday, my elder sister who lives in Anepalya was sleeping in her room. Suddenly, by noon, she heard a knock on her door. When she checked on the door, two policemen were standing outside. She was asked about her professional details and noted them down in a book. My sister was then asked to vacate the house and leave the City,” said the student.
Officers evade
When the North Eastern community raised the matter with senior police officers including Police Commissioner Jyothiprakash Mirji and DG & IG Lalrokhuma Pachuau, who is from Mizoram.
However, both senior officers evaded the question and moved on. When confronted with the possible involvement of the local police in creating panic, Pachuau said: “I have not come across any such involvement.”
Meanwhile, senior police personnel said such ‘allegations’ were bound to come from the victims and dismissed it as mere ‘frustration’. Perhaps taking cue from this, Shanthinagar constituency has allegedly been turned virtually into a fortress by local legislator N A Harris.
Outposts set up
According to Harris, local boys working with him have now set up outposts at every entrance to the constituency which has borne the brunt of the attacks on the North-East community.
“We have our boys now patrolling the entire constituency and keeping a watch on who is entering and exiting our area. Of course, the boys are working in tandem with the local police,” said Harris.
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