Student thrashed for holding up Kannada flag at Belagavi college fest

BELAGAVI: A student of the Gogte PU College of Commerce and Science was assaulted by fellow students, including his own classmates, after he held up a Kannada flag while students were dancing during an inter-collegiate fest on Wednesday evening.

Kannada activists visited the campus on Thursday evening demanding to talk to the principal.

On coming to know about the incident, activists of the Karunadu Vijaya Sene youth wing, led by Sampath Kumar Desai, visited the college and demanded to speak to the principal. However, the college authorities saying that the issue could be discussed the next morning (Thursday). The activists left after threatening to gherao the college in the morning.

The college has given the day off for PU students on Thursday.

The student had to face more trouble when he went to lodge a complaint as he was allegedly assaulted and threatened by some policemen too. “I was assaulted by some students, including one of my classmates, for holding up the Kannada flag. I then contacted the Kannada activists. When I went to lodge a complaint, the DCP and ACP took me to the police station, threatened me and assaulted me. The DCP used abusive language and kicked me with his boots on”, the student alleged.

Policemen have been deployed outside the college on Thursday.

Karunadu Vijaya Sene youth wing president Sampath Kumar Desai has demanded action against the Deputy Commissioner of Police Ravindra Gadadi and Assistant Commissioner of Police Narayan Bharamai for using abusive language and allegedly assaulting the student. “When the student came out of the police station around midnight, he was scared. I took him to BIMS hospital and got an medico-legal test done. On whose side are the police? What are the politicians of the district doing”? he questioned.

Police personnel were deployed as a precautionary measure.

With the issue flaring up, the college authorities have declared a holiday on Thursday for PUC classes. Other classes are running as usual. Students were let in after everyone’s identity cards were checked. Police personnel too have been deployed outside the college as a precautionary measure.

Kannada activists staging a protest in Belagavi on Thursday.

On Thursday, DCP (law and order) Ravindra Gadadi issued a statement stating that a scuffle broke out between some students on Thursday evening during a college event. All students are Kannadigas and they have been warned as all are minor, he stated.

Meanwhile, Kannada activists started assembling near the college and tried to gherao it. Karnataka Rakshana Vedike district president Deepak Gudaganatti and other leaders arrived at RPD Circle on the Belagavi-Khanapur road and staged a protest.

Deepak Gudaganatti demanded action action the police officers who allegedly used abusive words against the student and assaulted him. “The officer have used abusive language against the Kannada flag and strict action should be taken against them”, he demanded.