Bengaluru: According to sources, five people claiming to be members of a right-wing Hindu organisation have been arrested in Belagavi District on the Karnataka-Maharashtra border, for allegedly assaulting and robbing a Dalit family.
On December 29, Pastor Akshay Kumar Karaganvi was holding annual prayers at his home when seven members of a right-wing group allegedly barged in and interrupted the prayer.
The neighbours allegedly assaulted the family, claiming they were involved in conversions. According to Kavita Kumar, Kumar’s wife, who filed a complaint, a woman, Bharati Vyapari, sustained burn injury in the attack.
Ghataprabha police have filed a case under sections of the SC/ST (prevention of atrocities) Act, including 326 (causing grievous harm by dangerous means), 354 (outraging the modesty of women), and 392 (robbery).
According to Kavita’s complaint, the accused came with the intent of disrupting the prayers and threw hot curry at Bharati. She claimed that the prayers were done as part of an annual Christmas ritual and denied charges of conversion, informed police.
