Goon raj in Bengaluru: Mobs storm apartment

Bengaluru: The residents of an apartment complex were attacked twice by two sets of mobs for organising a Dandiya dance party in Whitefield police station limits on Thursday.

The first incident took place around 9.30 pm at Isha Misty Green in Channasandra and the victims were mostly women, children and senior citizens. 

A bunch of 30 local goons barged inside the residential apartment gate, armed with lathis, and indiscriminately attacked women, some of them pregnant, children and senior citizens, mostly retired army and air force personnel, who were performing Dandiya dance.

The miscreants also vandalised the apartment property and damaged the club house mirror by pelting stones. A woman and a defence veteran sustained grievous injuries in the attack.

A FIR was registered on late Thursday night In Kadugodi police station against six people.

However, the residents’ nightmare didn’t end. When they thought the worst was over they were subjected to a more audacious attack.

A mob of around 20 men came charging towards the apartment, assaulted the security guard and didn’t even spare the two policemen, attached to Kadugodi police station, who were deployed there.

A Misty Green resident and a retired air force officer told Deccan Chronicle, “We were celebrating dandia night. While all men were in the basement preparing for dinner and had started to serve the food, we heard a commotion. As we ran up we saw a mob attacking everyone with lathis. While trying to save others and myself I sustained multiple fractures in my hand.”

He added, “What kind of goondaism it is? Pregnant women, children and elderly citizens were beaten up. We are still in a shock and unable to come to terms to what happened?”

Nitin (name changed), a member of the resident welfare association and a witness to the entire incident, said the apartment owners had taken all the requisite permission from the police department, BBMP and others to host programme. He said the neighbouring property owner, who also once owned the land on which the apartment stands, had objected to festivities.

According to Nitin, the programme started from October 15. “On the night of October 15, they said that we shouldn’t play music. A group of residents went to the property owner, Gowda, and told him that it was festival time and assured that no loud music will be played. “

Nitin said there was no problem on the next day. “However on October 17, they again threatened us. We had obtained police permission and music noise was within permissible limits and prescribed time. But to our utter shock, on Thursday, when all the women and children were playing dandia, a mob of 30 people came and attacked residents. Pregnant women, small children and senior citizens were attacked. It has created a fear psychosis among us.”