Youth assaulted for wearing saffron towel; three held

Bengaluru: A man was allegedly assaulted for wearing a saffron towel in Kalasipalya area in city.. The incident, which occurred on Sunday night, has sparked outrage in the area and prompted swift police action.

According to police sources, the victim, identified as Slinder Kumar, was working at Royal Travels in Kalasipalya along with his colleague Harikrishna when three youths confronted him. The accused, later identified as Tabrez, Imran Khan, and Aziz Khan, allegedly questioned Kumar over his saffron-coloured towel, hurled abuses, and physically attacked him.

The assault took place around 9:30 pm on August 24. Eyewitnesses told police that the accused initially abused Kumar, demanding to know why he was wearing a saffron towel. When Harikrishna tried to intervene and defuse the situation, the trio allegedly assaulted him as well, tearing his shirt and verbally abusing him. The complaint lodged by Harikrishna states that the accused shouted, “Why is your worker wearing a saffron towel? Tell him to remove it.” After issuing threats, the trio left the scene.

Police registered a case based on Harikrishna’s complaint and launched a search for the accused. The Kalasipalya police confirmed that all three men have been arrested and are currently being interrogated.

Speaking to the media, complainant Harikrishna clarified that the towel was used by Kumar simply to wipe sweat and had no political or religious intention. “We have been running our business here for many years, peacefully and harmoniously. These men were not from our area, and we had never seen them before. Suddenly, they started a fight and attacked us. I immediately reported the matter to the police,” he said. The incident has stirred anger in the locality, with residents demanding strict action against those attempting to disturb communal harmony. Senior police officials have assured that appropriate legal action will be taken and appealed to the public not to spread rumors or give the incident a communal colour.The accused booked under charges of assault, abuse, and criminal intimidation. Police have stepped up patrolling in sensitive pockets of Kalasipalya to prevent any further tensions.