Bengaluru: A 38-year-old Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) member was assaulted by a group of armed men while he was on his way to a shakha at the Tulasi park in Upparpet at around 6.15 am Saturday morning, triggering tension in the area.
Mr Ramesh Vaishnav, who left his house in Akkipette early morning as usual to attend the shakha, was followed by a group of men armed with rods and sticks and beaten up, according to his colleagues in the RSS.
“Ramesh, who was dressed in khaki shorts and shirt, the RSS uniform, sustained a fracture on his left hand and was admitted to Victoria Hospital for treatment,” said RSS member, Amit Khataria, adding that Ramesh’s neighbours and locals rescued him from his armed attackers. Mr Khataria suspects the attack was in retaliation for a minor fracas on Friday between a group of around 45 RSS members at the Tulasi park, where they have holding their prayer and exercise session for decades, and a group of men from a minority community playing cricket nearby. Finding their game disturbing, the RSS men asked them to play cricket elsewhere, but this resulted in an argument, according to him. “One of the minority community members snatched our flag from a member and threw it away. A minor tussle followed between the two groups, but it ended after Ramesh intervened to demand the cricket players leave if they did not want any more trouble,” Mr Khataria recounted.
He claimed that around 12 to 15 men from the minority community were waiting for him when he started from his house on Saturday morning.
“He was followed and attacked with rods and sticks near his house before his neighbours and others rushed to rescue him,” he said. The Cottonpet police have registered a case and are investigating. “We have detained four people and are questioning their involvement in the attack,” said a senior police officer.
Meanwhile, hundreds of RSS activists staged a protest before the Deputy Commissioner of Police’s office, demanding protection for their shakha at Tulasi park and stringent action against those involved in the attack.
