Dalit youth attacked for questioning use of cellphone at Karnataka temple

Bengaluru, Nov 4: Dalit organisations took out a rally in Bengaluru Rural district on Thursday demanding arrest of those who allegedly attacked a Dalit youth for questioning the use of mobile inside the temple by the temple trust committee chief in the district's Vijayapura town.

The incident had taken place in Sri Anjaneya temple in Vijayapura near Doddaballapura near Bengaluru on Oct 30. According to the protesters, a gang of people allegedly abused him, tried to strangulate him with a piece of cloth used by priests, and assaulted him severely in front of his brother.

The protestors alleged that Vijayapura police have arrested only three persons and are not making any effort to nab the rest behind the attack on the youth, who is still being treated at the government hospital.

They also demanded that the police should withdraw the case against the victim and extern the accused from the district.

The victim Dilip Kumar, son of an advocate and a college student, visited Anjaneya temple every day before going to college.

On the day of the incident, his mobile rang while he was inside. When the priest objected, he had stepped outside. While returning, he noticed the temple trust President Prakash talking over his cellphone, and questioned him, Muni Anjinappa, a Dalit leader of the Praja Vimochana Chaluvali, said

At this, Prakash had abused him and tried strangulate him. He had dragged him from temple to the office and along with five others, attacked him. He claimed that he had built the temple and he could do anything and also abused him for being a Dalit, he stated.

Victim's mother Manjula said that her son was still alive as his elder brother, who was waiting outside the temple on bike to drop him to college, rushed in and rescued him.