Bengaluru: A 55-year-old woman, Hampamma, was brutally assaulted by a textile shop owner and his employee after allegedly stealing sarees from his store on Avenue Road near KR Market. The attack, carried out in public and captured on mobile phones, went viral on Thursday, prompting police action.
Assault details
The accused, Umed Ram, 44, owner of Maya Silk Sarees, and his staff member Mahendra Seervi, 25, allegedly caught Hampamma on September 21 after spotting her near the shop wearing the same saree she had worn during the alleged theft the previous day.
According to the complaint, Hampamma had stolen a bundle of 61 sarees worth Rs 91,500 on September 20. CCTV footage showed her taking the bundle, which she later claimed was to buy alcohol. When confronted the next day, Ram and Seervi physically assaulted her, kicking her multiple times on the chest and abdomen. Bystanders attempted to intervene, but the assault continued.
Police intervention and legal action
Following the viral video, police registered a case against Ram and Seervi. Hampamma was initially arrested on theft charges under section 303 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and produced before the court. Ram and Seervi were later booked under BNS sections 74 (assault on a woman with intent to outrage modesty), 115 (voluntarily causing hurt), and other relevant provisions. Both have been remanded to judicial custody and lodged at Central Prison, Parappana Agrahara.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) S. Girish confirmed that the FIR was registered promptly after authorities became aware of the assault. A senior police officer said, “The video circulated widely on social media, and before activists could gather in protest, the FIR was registered against the accused.”
Public outrage
The incident sparked outrage among local pro-Kannada activists, who protested outside the shop on Thursday evening, condemning the assault. They alleged that although Hampamma informed the police about the attack, no immediate action was taken against the shop owner until the video went viral.
Hampamma hails from Guntakal, Andhra Pradesh, and was reportedly accompanied by a teenage boy during the incident. Ram, a wholesale saree dealer, said the stolen sarees were packed for delivery to a customer in Dubasipalya near Kengeri.
Conclusion
The incident has raised concerns over mob justice and excessive use of force in cases of petty theft. Police officials have assured stricter monitoring and swift action in similar cases to ensure that justice is served without compromising legal norms.