A 19-year-old fruit seller was allegedly assaulted by a group of eight to 10 people in Bengaluru’s Chikkapet area after he and a friend were mistaken for thieves while trying to return a dropped mobile phone, police said. The K R Market police have registered a case and are examining CCTV footage to identify those involved.
The incident took place around 7 pm on Monday on Chikkapet RT Speed Road, as the area was crowded during the festive rush. Shahid Khan, a resident of J J R Nagar who sells fruits in the city, was travelling from the Majestic side on a two-wheeler with his friend Fardin Pasha.
According to Khan’s complaint, an unidentified person struck their vehicle, causing the person’s mobile phone to fall to the ground. Pasha then picked up the phone to return it to its owner. A group gathered at the spot and allegedly mistook the two friends for thieves before abusing and assaulting them.
Khan stated in the first information report that some members of the group punched him near the eye, while others hit him on the head with mobile phones. He was left bleeding in the incident, according to the complaint. People at the scene called the emergency helpline after the assault, following which police personnel arrived and took Khan to a hospital.
Based on Khan’s complaint, the K R Market police registered a case against unidentified people. The charges include intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of peace, voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt using dangerous weapons or means, and unlawful assembly.
The identities of those involved have not yet been established. Police are reviewing CCTV footage from the area, where the festive crowd has made the investigation more difficult. An officer said the police were examining who was involved in the assault and that the area had been heavily crowded.
The case highlights the immediate policing challenge posed by dense commercial areas during festival periods, when crowding can make it difficult to establish what happened at the scene and identify individuals involved in an altercation. The investigation will now depend on CCTV footage and the accounts recorded by the police.
