Close on the heels of the assault on Higio Gungtey, a youth from the Northeast who was made to lick his landlord’s shoe, another incident of assault on a Northeastern man has come to light in Mico Layout.

A 33-year-old hair stylist and a resident of Bilekahalli was beaten up by a local over a trivial issue on Thursday evening. He has lodged a complaint with the Mico Layout police.

While the police claim it is not a racial attack, the complainant says it is. The police have arrested the suspect identified as Venkatesh (33) and sent him to jail.

Samar Mahilary, a native of Assam living in Bilekahalli for the past four years, says there are many people from the Northeast in the locality. Venkatesh, who lives opposite to Mahilary's house with his family, used to wait for a chance to pick quarrels with those from the Northeast living in the locality.

Mahilary said while he was returning home from work on Thursday evening, Venkatesh who was in an inebriated state, stopped him and enquired about another Northeastern man Debojit who used to frequent Mahilary's building. Mahilary told him he did not know Debojit.

He asked Venkatesh to talk to Debojit directly if he had a problem. Venkatesh started beating Mahilary mercilessly. A few Northeastern men who came to his rescue were also beaten up by Venkatesh.

Mahilary then headed to Mico Layout police station and lodged a complaint. He also told the police that Venkatesh would harass women from their community and even threaten their children playing in front of houses using knives and stones. “Venkatesh is an alcoholic and does not work. He stays home all the time, gets drunk and always picks fights with his neighbours over trivial issues. The incident does not look like a racial attack,” a senior police officer said.
DH News Service