The vociferous demands for an amendment to the Indian Penal Code to deal with racist attacks cut through the noise of peak hour traffic as numerous students and associations representing communities of north-east India gathered in front of Town Hall on Thursday.
They demanded justice and stringent action against the landlord who allegedly assaulted Higio Gungtey, a 20-year-old from Arunachal Pradesh, and forced him to lick his shoes on March 6.
Gungtey’s father, Higio Tama, said the current cases against the landlord, Hemanth Kumar, did not reflect the severity of the attack. He pointed out that Hemanth Kumar has managed to secure bail. “He should be booked for attempt to murder (Section 302 of IPC) and outraging the modesty of women (Section 509) as he insulted my wife and daughter,” said Dr. Tama, adding that he wants the lawyer to be booked under Section 153C, which deals with racial attacks but is yet to be incorporated in the IPC.
Higio Gungtey, a second year student of Christ University, was allegedly attacked by Hemanth Kumar, an advocate, in his apartment in Hulimavu. The landlord had allegedly objected about the ‘excess use of water’ by the students, who are his tenants. The argument allegedly ended in assault and racial slurs.
Hulimavu police have booked the advocate for assault, creating enmity between groups and under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
Mr. Gungtey’s sister, Higio Nasum, said her brother continues to spit blood and is in trauma. “He needs to complete his studies here but we are scared for his security. Right now, there is attention on him and incident, but what will happen to my brother after all of this subsides,” she says.
