A Dalit woman of Belur town has accused Javagal police in Arsikere taluk of torturing her 22-year-old son after falsely accusing him of stealing bikes because he had a relationship with an ‘upper caste’ girl.
Lolakshi, who runs a canteen in Belur, has complained to senior police officers against the Javagal police. She said her son Chetan was in a relationship with a girl from an ‘upper caste’, and they got married. However, the couple separated within a few months.
The Javagal police picked him up from his house at Belur on December 2, 2021, informing his mother that he was involved in bike theft. He was kept in the police station for three days before he was remanded in judicial custody. “The police tortured him and later forced him to pose with a bike for photos, to give an impression that he stole that bike,” she alleged.
Chetan was released on bail later.
Addressing a media conference in Hassan on February 3, Chetan accused the police of assaulting him and scolding him referring to his caste and marriage with the girl belonging to ‘upper caste’.
“We suspect that the police is doing this at the behest of family members of the girl, who were opposed to our marriage. The girl’s father had threatened to ensure that I end up in jail,” he said.
Nagaraj Hettur, State organising secretary of Karnataka Dalit Sangharsha Samiti (Bheemavada); Sathish, district president of Samata Sainik Dal; and Mari Joseph, convener of Dalit Vimochana Manava Hakkugala Vedike, who were in the media conference, want the Superintendent of Police to suspend the police officials of Javagal and probe the issue.
Police explain arrest
Additional Superintendent of Police B.N. Nandini told The Hindu that the officer said the accused was arrested because stolen vehicles were recovered from him. “The police have not slapped false charges on him. There was no other reason to arrest him,” she said.
