Eight people, including a 17-year-old girl, have been arrested for kidnapping, stripping and attacking a college student in Bengaluru’s Hesaraghatta area. The incident took place on June 30 in Soladevanahalli, located in the northern part of the city.
According to police, the youth had allegedly threatened to tell the girl’s family about her past relationships. This angered the girl and her current boyfriend, who, along with others, kidnapped the youth and beat him up.
Initial investigations show that the youth and the minor girl were in a relationship earlier, but broke up a few months ago. After the breakup, the girl started dating someone else.
When the youth came to know about this, he allegedly told the girl that he would reveal her past affairs to her family. The girl informed her new boyfriend about the threat.
Beaten with sticks in remote area
In response, the new boyfriend, along with the girl and others, kidnapped the youth. They took him to an isolated spot, stripped him and beat him with sticks. The minor girl has been sent to a women’s rehabilitation centre.
The assaulters also filmed the incident and the video has since gone viral on social media. Acting on the footage, the Soladevanahalli police registered a case and launched an investigation.
Actor Darshan case reference
The attackers were reportedly influenced by the recent high-profile Renukaswamy murder case involving Kannada actor Darshan, widely referred to as the ‘Darshan case’. According to news agency PTI, they threatened to kill the victim, identified as Kushal, in a similar manner.
In the video footage, the attackers are seen brutally beating Kushal while mocking him with a reference to the Darshan-linked case. One of them is heard saying, “He is Renukaswamy, and we are accused number one, two, and three.”
In June 2023, Kannada actor Darshan and his girlfriend Pavithra Gowda, along with 15 others, were arrested for the murder of a man named Renukaswamy.
Renukaswamy, a pharmacy worker and Darshan’s fan, had posted offensive comments about Pavithra on Instagram. He was kidnapped, tortured and beaten to death. His body was later found in a drain in Kamakshipalya, Bengaluru.
“All eight accused have been arrested on charges of robbery and kidnapping,” a police officer told PTI.
According to the police, those arrested were directly involved in the assault, and further investigation is underway to identify others who may have helped plan or facilitate the attack.