3 arrested in Bangalore for beating up northeast students

Three students from the northeast region were allegedly beaten up by locals for not speaking in Kannada at a locality here, a top police official today said.

The incident took place last night when the students from Manipur had been to a restaurant and were having their food, DCP (North-East) Vikas Kumar, told PTI, adding, as they were talking a bit loudly at the dinner table, the locals asked them to tone down their voice.

"As the northeast students replied to them in English, the locals who did not understand the language asked them to talk in Kannada," Kumar said.

Michael, one of the victims who received injuries on his forehead and hands, said he and the other two were discussing about an event they were planning to hold, when three locals came up to them.

"They said you are eating Karnataka food. You are living in Karnataka. You have to speak in Kannada. Why don't you speak in Kannada. Or else, get lost from this state. They later attacked and I had to defend and thus I received injuries," Michael said.

All the three culprits were arrested last night itself and a case has been filed against them for assault, Kumar said.

Bangalore is home to a large number of people from the northeast.