Bantwal, Nov 28: The journalist, V T Prasad of Karavali Ale, Kannada evening daily was attacked by a team consisting of over 40 members. The incident took place on Wednesday, November 27, morning.
Prasad, was admitted to a private hospital in Puttur with serious injuries and then shifted to a Mangalore hospital for advanced treatment.
Prasad had attended a general meet in the school located near his house in the morning. Around 11.45am, a gang of around 40 persons called him out of the meet. They then allegedly assaulted him and then took him to a house belonging to Aleema, beat him with wooden planks and stamped him with shoes.
The police who received information about the attack rushed to the spot and rescued Prasad and admited him to hospital.
Vittal police have arrested two namely Barebettu Siddique and Barik Kudthamugeru who allegedly belong to the gang.
Prasad in his complaint stated that he was attacked by the group because he is helping a poor woman Aleema who was residing in the neighbourhood. There was no one to help her build a house. This must have disturbed a few belonging to Aleema’s caste. Before attacking me, they questioned me as to why I wanted to get involved in unrelated work.
Among the attackers, I recognised Siddique, Bariq Kudtamugeru, Sharif, Abdul Jabbar and Abdul Lathif. There were more than 40 people in the group,” Prasad said.
It is learnt that an individual stopped the ambulance while carrying Prasad to the hospital. He then questioned the people in the ambulance as to why he was being taken to the hospital and that he must die. A case has been registered against him.
The sources said that a woman of Barebettu filed a complaint against V T Prasad for attempt to rape. She got admitted to a hospital in Mangalore, it is learnt.
Bantwal journalists’ union and locals decided to hold a protest on Thursday November 28 demanding arrest of attackers and against the rape complaint.
