Derogatory comment on Kannadigas: FIR filed, hotel manager arrested in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: The Madiwala police on Saturday filed a suo motu case after a derogatory remark against Kannadigas was displayed on the Variable Message Display (VMD) board at a hotel in southeastern Bengaluru, officials said.

“The FIR has been registered under Section 196 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) relating to promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony,” Sarah Fathima, Deputy Commissioner of Police (southeast), told DH.

The DCP said that they have placed the manager of Hotel GS Suites near Koramangala under arrest, while the owner, who is said to be abroad has been named in the FIR.

“An investigation has been launched, and the five staff members are being questioned. Notice will be issued to whoever is linked to the case. Prima facie, it was found that after May 8, the hotel management had complained to the company in Koramangala that manufactured the display board, after different messages popped up on it.

“The company representatives have been summoned to understand how the system works. Preliminary investigations so far revealed that the contract was given to them three years ago. However, it is yet to be clear how this particular message was generated, and a detailed investigation and electronic evidence gathered during the course will reveal it,” said the DCP.

The incident first came to light on Saturday morning after several users on the social media platform X began posting a video, which was reportedly recorded on Friday night outside the hotel.

“Imagine the natives of a city being humiliated like this by migrants ! What a fall, What a shame... @BlrCityPolice If you don't act on this vigorously, tomorrow they will come up with something big. Please act at the earliest,” wrote @IceCandyGopalaa on X.

Veena Jain, another X user, demanded immediate action from the police. “First they do this, and when Kannadigas retaliate, they call us Linguistic Rad!cals,” @DrJain21 posted on the social media platform.