K’taka BJP supporter locks up, tortures 16 Dalits; Pregnant woman loses baby
16 Dalits locked up, tortured in Karnataka
Chikmagalur: A BJP supporter held 16 laborers of a plantation as hostages and physically tortured them. He is the plantation owner in the Chikmagalur district of Karnataka.
A pregnant woman was also among those who were made hostages. She was assaulted so badly that she miscarried. After learning about the incident, the police took all the hostages, who were daily labourers, to the district hospital for treatment and registered a case against Jagdish Gowda and his son Tilak Gowda. The case has been registered under the Prevention of Atrocities Against Dalits Act.
Meanwhile, BJP has declared that the party has no involvement in the incident in Jenugadde village. Denying reports that he was the spokesperson of the party, Jagdish Gowda said that he is not a party worker or member but only a BJP supporter.
According to the police, the victims borrowed up to Rs.9 lakh from the owner. As they could not return the money, Jagdish Gowda locked them up and tortured them. Some relatives of the victims filed a complaint at the Balehonnur police station on October 8 but withdrew the case later. However, a fresh complaint was made to Chikkamagaluru Police Chief the next day while admitting the pregnant victim to the district hospital. The police registered an FIR in this regard.
Police went to the spot where 8 to 10 hostages were kept in a single room and released them. The victims were under house arrest for the last 15 days and 16 of them belonged to scheduled castes.
Arpita, the woman who suffered a miscarriage, was abused and beaten.
