An armed gang of seven persons from the Vokkaliga community, in Karnataka’s Malagalu village of Kanakapura taluk, attacked a Dalit family and severed the left hand of a man identified as Anish Kumar. An FIR has been registered against the seven accused and four persons have been arrested so far. Anish belongs to the Adi Karnataka community (Scheduled Caste).
On July 21, Anish was walking with his uncle and were on the main road when one of the accused with few others questioned them on the lines of his caste. Speaking to TNM, the police said that this resulted in an altercation, following which Shivshankar brought his other friends and attacked Anish and his family.
The FIR states that the Vokkaliga men entered their house and hurled casteist abuses at Anish and his family. Subsequently, Anish’s forearm was severed and his family sustained injuries. Anish is being treated at St John's hospital in Bengaluru while his family is at Kanakapura Government Hospital.
Seven persons, including three women sustained severe injuries in the attack. Based on a complaint filed by Anish’s father-in-law Lakshman, seven men have been booked - Harsha, Karunesha, Rahul, Shiva, Shashanka, Subba, Darshan, and four have been arrested.
They have been booked under relevant sections of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 2015 and sections 109(1) (attempt to murder), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 118 (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 189(2) (unlawful assembly), 190 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 191(3) (rioting), 324(2) (mischief), 329(4) (criminal trespass), 351(2) (criminal intimidation), 76 (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe) of The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).