Four workers at an Anekal handloom factory had a verbal argument about perfume use, leading to an assault. Three were arrested, and police clarified it's a personal, not linguistic issue.
Published Sep 12, 2024 | 1:03 AM ⚊ Updated Sep 12, 2024 | 12:25 PM
Labourer who spoke Kannada was attacked by a gang of workers hailing from Uttar Pradesh
Heated debate over language is all the rage in Bengaluru and amidst all the discussion, a case of assault has got social media buzzing.
Claims of a labourer who spoke Kannada being attacked by a gang of workers hailing from Uttar Pradesh in Anekal on the outskirts of Bengaluru did the rounds on Wednesday. The victim identified as Shivalinga was reportedly assaulted by workers from Uttar Pradesh while he was working in a handloom factory.
Speaking to the media, the victim says that he was attacked since he did not know or understand Hindi. He claimed that they would insist he speak in Hindi. When he suggested that since they were in Karnataka, they should speak in Kannada, they began to argue with him and use abusive language. On Wednesday he says, when there was no electricity, he came out of the factory. The situation allegedly escalated when they blocked his way leading to a minor altercation at first and then him being attacked with rods and other objects.
The victim has sustained injuries to his head and ears and was taken to the Victoria Hospital for further treatment.
Netizens on social media claim this is a case of Hindi imposition. They alleged the victim was targeted just because he did not speak Hindi.
Migrants from UP attack and injures local for not speaking in Hindi.
The incident took place near Anekal, Bengaluru.
This won’t become national news. Had it been reverse then whole Anti Kannada ecosystem would have been activated.https://t.co/t71HHBmKZx pic.twitter.com/XXcVGSUXBI
— 👑Che_ಕೃಷ್ಣ🇮🇳💛❤️ (@ChekrishnaCk) September 11, 2024
This comes days after a tweet by a handle ‘ManjuKBye’ started a debate on social media, drawing significant attention to the ongoing discussion about the relationship between locals and migrants. The tweet, which questioned the impact of migration on local communities received a wide range of responses both supporting and opposing its viewpoint.
The official X handle of the Bengaluru district police however, came out with a clarification stating that this case had nothing to do with linguistic differences.
“Regarding the case circulating on social media, four persons were working together in a handloom factory under Anekal police station for the past one year and regarding the use of perfume, they were using it again today. A verbal argument ensued, and one person was assaulted. In connection to this, the three individuals responsible for the assault have been arrested, and legal action has been taken against them.”
>The police also added, “This is just a personal matter and not a linguistic dispute.”
ಸಾಮಾಜಿಕ ಜಾಲತಾಣದಲ್ಲಿ ಹರಿದಾಡುತ್ತಿರುವ ಪ್ರಕರಣಕ್ಕೆ ಸಂಬಂಧಿಸಿದಂತೆ ನಾಲ್ಕು ವ್ಯಕ್ತಿಗಳು ಆನೇಕಲ್ ಪೊಲೀಸ್ ಠಾಣಾ ವ್ಯಾಪ್ತಿಯ ಕೈಮಗ್ಗದಲ್ಲಿ ಕಳೆದ ಒಂದು ವರ್ಷದಿಂದ ಜೊತೆಗೆ ಕೆಲಸ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದು, ಸುಗಂಧ ದ್ರವ್ಯ ಬಳಕೆಯ ವಿಷಯಕ್ಕೆ ಸಂಬಂಧಿಸಿದಂತೆ, ಈ ಮೊದಲು ತಿಳಿಸಿದ್ದರೂ ಮತ್ತೆ ಬಳಕೆ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದ ಕಾರಣ ಇಂದು ಅವರ ನಡುವೆ (1/2)
— SP Bengaluru District Police (@bngdistpol) September 11, 2024
(Edited by Ananya Rao)
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