Bengaluru: Flat deposit row backfires; techies face police wrath

Bengaluru: It was merely a dispute with a landlord, who allegedly refused to part with a promised flat despite accepting a deposit of Rs 50, 000. But what came next has left  two city techies from Odisha  terrified as the police they approached for help in the matter, turned on them instead and  allegedly beat them black and blue.

What led to the torture
It was April 28.  Ajith(29) and his cousin, Rajesh(29) (names changed), both from Balasur in Odisha, approached the  Bommanahalli police station to complain against a landlord in Koramangala for refusing to part with a flat  despite accepting Rs 50, 000 as deposit for it from a relative. But instead of coming to their help, the police reportedly reacted violently. While Rajesh claims he was dragged by his collar and beaten mercilessly in front of the prisoner’s cell, Ajith alleges that he was pushed by a policeman, Basvaraj who was in mufti, while another policeman kicked him from behind as he tried to help Rajesh.

Narrating the ordeal, Rajesh told the Deccan Chronicle, “We were left with no choice but to seek police help after the flat owner ditched us. We approached the Bommanahalli police, but they made us wait for over two hours. Later  the landlord,  his wife and daughter were called to the police station and were taken to another room . They emerged over an hour later and then we were called in by the inspector who  addressed us rudely and said, 'There is no agreement between the two parties. Get lost from here.”

Sensing trouble,  Rajesh says he began to videograph the behaviour of the aggressive policeman, who he has  identified  as A S Manjunath in his complaint. It was then , according to him, that the  abuse started.

“‘You bas***d. Why have you come here? Why don't you people stay in your native , why do you come to the city? How dare you make a video of the police? This is Bengaluru not your native Odisha,’” – the cop reportedly told  the terrified techies..

Even as Ajith tried to talk to the policemen, three others in mufti came up from behind him and  hit Rajesh and then taking  him by his collar,  dragged him till the prisoner’s cell, where they then allegedly beat him up.

In their complaint to the police, the duo said they were later forced to sign a declaration and allowed to leave. That evening they went to  the Chinmaya Mission hospital, where Rajesh was treated for his injuries and a medico-legal case (MLC) was registered. The Indiranagar police contacted them following this, but they  refused to speak to it , afraid to trust anyone .

It was only after a call was made by a relative from Kolkatta  to the state’s DG and  IGP,  Om Prakash that the duo finally felt safe. “My elder brother ,who the flat  here was meant for, contacted Mr Om Prakash and told him about our ordeal and  following this a senior police officer directed him to DCP (South-east),  Dr. Boralingaiah, who met us and assured us of our safety,” the techies said.