Activists allege murder after Dalit men die in accident

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The tragic death of two Dalit men has sparked outrage leading to a massive protest by the community in the city. According to members of the community and the relatives of the deceased, Nagaraj, 38, and Ramayya, 48, residents of Challahalli near Hesaraghatta Hobli, were intentionally mowed down by a car in broad daylight on Thursday.

The incident took place as Nagaraj and Ramayya, along with another colleague Gopal, were travelling on a scooter to the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) factory, their workplace, in the city. A car allegedly belonging to a history-sheeter identified as Bharath Gowda, 28, struck their scooter from behind. Gopal suffered severe injuries while Nagaraj and Ramayya, died on the spot. The police probe revealed that the accused Bharath was driving the car along with his friends, Nishanth and Vinay.

Soon after the incident, the relatives of the deceased, community members and Dalit activists held a protest outside the Rajanukunte police station demanding immediate arrest and strict legal action against the perpetrators. They protesters alleged that it was not a normal accidente but rather a culmination of a previous altercation that took place 20days ago at a hotel near Hesaraghatta.