Student who refused to attend Ambedkar puja paraded semi-naked in Kalaburagi

The 19-year old victim, belongs to Lambani community and the attackers were students.

Two days after Kalaburagi was hit by spontaneous protests condemning the desecration of Ambedkar statue, a Pre-University student who refused to attend a weekly puja of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar for his personal reasons was assaulted and paraded semi-nude in Kalaburagi, Thursday, January 25, 2024.

The 19-year old victim, a science student at N.V. College and the resident of government-run post-metric hostel behind the High Court complex in the city, belongs to Lambani community and the attackers were students.

As per the complaint lodged by Neelakanth Rathod, the father of the boy who migrated to Mumbai in search of livelihood options, some of the students had, late on Wednesday, had asked the hostel inmates to attend the weekly Ambedkar Puja held on Sundays.

The complainant’s son expressed his inability to attend the programme due to other works. This enraged the students with some more from nearby colleges too started questioning him. They allegedly abused, assaulted and stripped the boy and paraded him semi-naked on the streets. The students ran away leaving the boy behind after seeing the policemen near the High Court.

The video of the boy, holding Dr. B.R. Ambedkar portrait, being paraded half-naked, went viral later.

Knowing the incident, the victim’s father who was at his native place Patwad Tanda in Kamalapur taluk when the incident happened, rushed to Kalaburagi and lodged a complaint with Ashok Nagar Police Station. Later a First Information Report was registered under Sections 341,323,504,505(2), 506 and 149 of Indian Penal Code.