Karnataka: Bajrang Dal worker held over Dalit man’s death

Sources said that Krishna alias Kitta allegedly attacked Dinesh, a 41-year-old Dalit man, after the latter told others he had helped Krishna get the land where his shop stands.

Krishna dragged Dinesh around and punched him in the stomach and abdomen, following which the latter died. (Screengrab)

By Kiran Parashar / The Indian Express

A Bajarang Dal worker was taken into police custody after a Dalit man that he allegedly assaulted in Karnataka’s Dharmasthala town died Friday.

The accused, Krishna alias Kitta, allegedly assaulted 41-year-old Dinesh on Wednesday over a dispute, police said. Both Krishna and Dinesh were residents of Dharmasthala.

According to a complaint filed by Dinesh’s mother Padmavathi at Dharmasthala police station, “Krishna, who runs a shop near Ram Mandi, got angry when Dinesh told other people that he helped Krishna get the land for the shop. Irked, Krishna dragged Dinesh around and punched him on his stomach.”

Later on Wednesday, Dinesh went back home and told his mother and wife that he had severe stomach ache. The next day, he was taken to Government Wenlock District Hospital in Mangaluru. He, however, did not respond to treatment and was declared dead in the early hours of Friday.

Padmavathi filed a complaint later on Friday, and police registered a murder case and under several sections of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Krishna, who was then taken into custody, will be produced before a court by Saturday evening, a police officer said.

This article first appeared on indianexpress.com

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