An alleged case of untouchability has come to light in Bellari district after a video showing a 27-year-old Dalit man being denied food at a local hotel, people familiar with the matter said, adding the incident took place in Guttiganur village of Kurugodu taluk.
In the video, which is being widely circulated on social media, a woman can be heard saying, “I will close the hotel, but I will not give you food,” as he denies service to the Dalit man.
Outraged by this discriminatory act, the man confronted the woman, leading to a heated exchange and a physical altercation.
Kurugodu police inspector M Supreeth said, “After the video went viral, we visited the village and conducted a probe. Although the video is old, we registered a case against hotel owner Gurubasavaiah and his wife Nagaveni”. “We voluntarily took notice of the incident, summoned the victim, identified as Mahesh, and received the complaint from him. We arrested the couple and booked them under the Prevention of Atrocities on SC/ST Act. They were produced before the Kurugodu Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) court on Friday, which remanded them to judicial custody for 14 days,” he added.