2 Dalits assaulted for playing ‘Jai Bhim’ in Tumakuru district: Police

Two Dalit men were assaulted and subjected to casteist slurs for allegedly playing “Jai Bhim” song in their goods vehicle in Tumakuru district in Karnataka

Two Dalit men were assaulted and subjected to casteist slurs for allegedly playing “Jai Bhim” song in their goods vehicle in Tumakuru district in Karnataka, police said on Sunday, adding that two individuals, including a Railways official, have been booked in connection with the incident.

A Karnataka Police team. (Representative Image)(PTI File Photo)

The incident took place at Muddanahalli village under the Gubbi police station around 6pm on Saturday, when Deepu (19; he goes by a single name) and Narasimha Murthy (32) — both residents of Sirivara village — were travelling in their Tata Ace vehicle, a police officer said.

“The accused, who were on a motorcycle, stopped the Tata Ace vehicle and questioned the victims about their caste and why they were playing the ‘Jai Bhim’ song. Upon learning that Deepu identified as a Dalit, the accused pulled him out of the vehicle and assaulted him,” Gubbi police inspector Sunil Kumar said.

When Murthy, who was driving the vehicle, tried to intervene, he was also assaulted by the two accused, who have been identified as Chandrashekhar, a railway department official, and one Narasimha Raju, the officer said, adding they fled the spot on their two-wheeler after the incident.

“Both victims are undergoing treatment at a government hospital. We have registered a case under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and Section 109 (attempt to murder) of the BNS. A manhunt is underway to apprehend the suspects,” Kumar said, adding the accused also hurled casteist slurs at the victims.