BENGALURU: In yet another hate crime in the city, a 27-year-old Northeasterner was allegedly assaulted by a shopkeeper in HRBR Layout in on Saturday morning. The victim, Nimesius Iswary, was attacked by 10 people after an argument with shopkeeper Gajendra, who is the main accused.
The assault took place around 10.30 on Saturday close to Babusabpalya bus-stand near Cafe Coffee Day. Iswary, who hails from Shillong and is working as a manager in a private firm in Sarjapur, has been staying in the city for the last years and resides at Banasawadi. Mr Iswary was on his way to office and stopped at a shop to buy chips. “I asked Gajendra, for chips packet and he said it cost Rs 5. I checked my pockets and told him I did not have change and I will buy two packets. He replied, ‘Tumhe five rupees ki keemat nahin pata kya? Aajate hain yahan par (You don’t know the value of Rs 5 and come her from other states).”
Mr Iswary told DC, “When I tried to reason with him, his wife joined in, and threatened that she would foist a false complaint against me, alleging that I harassed her and her husband! I warned them not to frame me unnecessarily as I didn’t do anything wrong. I started walking away from the shop, but Gajendra came from behind and attacked me. He put his arm around my neck and started punching me in the face and stomach.”
Mr Iswary shouted for help, but passersby, who gathered, supported Gajendra. “No one came to my rescue. Only an elderly resident of the area stopped the group from attacking me and dispersed them,” he said. Mr Iswary’s ordeal did not end there. When he approached the Banasawadi police, a constable there refused to register his complaint. He said, “The constable refused to listen to me, instead he asked the assailant to narrate the incident. It was only after the intervention of Sub-Inspector Ramamurthy that an NCR was registered.”
A dejected Mr Iswary said, “We don’t know the language. Many a time, I have helped police when they approached us in some case. But, today, when I went to station to seek their help as a victim, I wasn’t treated well. It is disappointing to note such a callous behaviour from the police.”
