Bangalore: In the last nine months, one case of rape and two cases of armed robbery have been reported in and around the Art of Living ashram, giving the jurisdictional Thalagattapura police sleepless nights.
In the latest incident on January 26, a 22-year-old engineering student from Siddaganga Institute of Technology, who went to the ashram to attend a satsang, was allegedly stripped naked and robbed of his mobile phone and watch by three unidentified, bike-borne miscreants.
The victim, Jathin Gangatkar, is a resident of Rajarajeshwari Nagar.
After driving down to the AoL ashram last Sunday, Jathin realised that he had left behind his mobile phone in his car, which was parked in front of the Ayurveda Panchakarma Centre on the campus.
He went back to collect it around 6.30 pm when three youths, aged between 20 and 30 years, wielding weapons, accosted him. They were on a white Suzuki Access motorbike without number plates.
They threatened to assault Jathin if he did not part with his valuables. They claimed to be the associates of notorious rowdy, Cycle Ravi.
Jathin was then taken to a secluded area on Pipeline Road, where he was forced to smoke cigarettes and then told to strip. When he refused, one of the miscreants allegedly hit him with the handle of a car jack. They then snatched Jathin’s car keys and searched his vehicle for cash and valuables.
When they could not find anything, the trio fled, not before warning him that they would kill him if he reported the incident to the police.
Jathin rushed to the ashram and filed a police complaint after consulting the ashram authorities. The Thalagattapura police confirmed the incident to Deccan Chronicle. Even ashram authorities are considering beefing up security around the AoL centre.
“Unfortunately, we are short-staffed and are unable to keep a round-the-clock vigil. In most cases, it seems that the suspects strike after the beat police finish their rounds,” said a senior police officer.
