A Dalit of M.C. Halli in Tarikere taluk has filed a complaint with Tarikere police alleging assault by a group of people of Gollarahatti at Geramaradi village for stepping into their street as part of his work on January 1.
Maruthi, 25, an operator of an excavator, said that he visited Geramaradi to demolish a house that belongs to Ravi. As he was going through Gollarahatti, residents stopped his vehicle and allegedly assaulted him objecting to his entry to a street where people of the Golla community reside. They said entry of Dalits to the street would spoil the sanctity of the Ranganatha Swamy temple in the village. The group allegedly took ₹20,000 in cash from his pocket.
On January 2, Tarikere police registered the case against 15 persons based on Maruthi’s complaint under the SC-ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, besides various sections of the Indian Penal Code.
