A 41-year-old fruit vendor survived a brutal attack in broad daylight after being hit 68 times with iron straps on a busy road. The victim, Santosh R, also known as Hotte Hasi, lives in Agrahara Dasarahalli near Magadi Road. Police said he was attacked by Suresh and his gang, reportedly in revenge for a murder case involving Santosh. Santosh, who works as a painter, is one of the accused in the killing of Suresh’s elder brother, Mohan, last year.
The assault happened on the evening of March 9. Earlier that day, Santosh had appeared in a court in Kollegal, where the trial for Mohan’s murder is ongoing. After getting off a BMTC bus, he was walking home when the attack took place as reported by The Times of India.
According to police, Suresh and three associates – Sharat, Ravi, and Manja – were drinking in a bar when they saw Santosh. “Memories of his murdered brother haunted Suresh. He told his friends about Santosh, and all four decided to attack him,” said an investigating officer.
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Two of the men armed themselves with an empty beer bottle, while the other two took metal straps from a nearby hardware shop. They struck Santosh 68 times, and after he fell to the ground, they danced and mocked him before fleeing the scene.
Santosh was rushed to a nearby private hospital, where he received treatment for his injuries. Police are investigating the incident further.
In a similar incident, a 40-year-old disc jockey has been booked by police after allegedly making a comment about a bomb during an argument with airline staff at the Kempegowda International Airport. The accused, Rajatesh Bera, hails from North 24 Parganas and works as a DJ in Bengaluru.
Police said the incident occurred on March 11. Bera was scheduled to fly from Bengaluru to Raipur on an IndiGo flight. He reportedly arrived at Gate No. 16, Terminal 1, around 6:10 am, but airline staff refused to let him board because he had reached the gate after the scheduled boarding time.
During the confrontation, Bera is alleged to have made a remark referencing a bomb. Authorities have booked him for causing alarm, and the matter is under investigation.
