Bengaluru: Hawkers try to assault social worker

Five hawkers in the Majestic subway hurled abuses and threatened to assault a 34-year-old social worker who questioned their encroachment of the public space and took pictures.

Ravikumar Kenchanahalli, the victim and the complainant, told the police that he had filed a writ petition with the high court on evicting the hawkers from the subway this year.

Despite the court recently directing the civic body to remove the hawkers from the subway, they continued with their business activities.

Kenchanahalli said in his police complaint that he went to the Majestic subway on SP Road near the Annamma Temple Road at 11.45 am on November 1 and found the hawkers were doing business as usual.

He questioned them on doing business while the court has ordered their expulsion from the subway.

This led to heated exchanges. As Kenchanahalli clicked pictures of their encroachment, around 15 to 20 hawkers surrounded him and nearly five of them abused and attempted to assault him.

Kenchanahalli filed a complaint with the Upparpet police station. The police booked the accused under IPC sections pertaining to assault and intentional insult with the intent to provoke breach of the peace, among other sections.

They are investigating the case further.