Members of some Dalit organisations tried to lay siege to the Khade Bazaar Police Station, alleging police brutalities against protesters in Wednesday’s rally in Belagavi.
They sat in a dharna in front of the police station and shouted slogans against Deputy Commissioner of Police Seema Latkar and other officials. They alleged that the police had arrested innocents on the charge of stone-throwing during the rally and assaulted them.
They said that the police had beaten up Sagar Kolkar, a protester, so badly that he suffered injuries and was bleeding. They also demanded that the police release nearly 20 youth arrested on the false charge of throwing stones at shops and buses.
Assistant Commissioner Ganapati Gudad defused the situation after speaking to the protesters and took the injured boy to the district hospital. Some of the accused were let off after a warning.
Police sources said the protesters had indeed thrown stones at shops and buses. “We saw around a dozen activists throwing stones at shops and at least, two protesters threw stones at a North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) bus. However, further investigation will reveal the truth,” a senior officer said.
