Couple from Nagaland assaulted in Bangalore

In yet another attack on people from the North-East, a couple from Nagaland and their friend were assaulted and racially abused by four men near Hesaraghatta on the outskirts of the City on Saturday.   

The incident took place around 3:30 pm when the Nagaland native, who works with a leading software security company in the City, his wife and their friend from Ranchi went to Nrityagram for a drive. The couple are residents of Kammanahalli. The man has been living in Bangalore for the past 13 years. His wife moved to the City some years ago. 

The couple, who requested anonymity, told Deccan Herald that they reached Nrityagram at 2 pm. Since his wife was learning driving, she started to practise around the area. They stayed there for 45 minutes . When they were about to leave, they noticed that a tyre was punctured. As they were replacing the tyre, a brown Duster with four men approached their car. 

“There were two men seated in the rear and two in the front. The ones at the back started racially abusing us, saying ‘you are not from India, what the hell are you doing here? Why are you driving here?’

They called us NRIs. Then, they started pushing me. It was drizzling and my wife was holding an umbrella as we replaced the tyre. They snatched the umbrella and started hitting me with it. We tried to reason with them, but in vain. They punched me on my chest. When my wife tried to intervene, she was slapped by one, and she started to scream.

Sensing that the situation was about to go out of hand, the two men in the front seat — who were seemingly ‘enjoying’ the show till then — dragged their friends and sped away. 

“They were well-dressed and speaking fluent English. It did not seem like they were drunk,” he said.  

Hurriedly, the couple and their friend repaired the tyre and drove back. They called a few friends for help who met them at BEL circle. They went to Soldevanahalli police station to lodge a complaint. 

However, they were referred to Doddaballapur station.  “The police at Doddaballapur did not register our case first. So, on Sunday morning I contacted V S D’Souza, advisor to Central Crime Branch and nodal officer to address issues of North-East in Bangalore. He spoke to the jurisdictional SP, who asked me to come to Doddabelavengala police station where the FIR was finally registered.” 

Incidentally, a year ago, the woman was assaulted by two scooter-borne men while she was going to a friend’s place around her locality.