The Congress on Sunday expelled Mohammed Nalapad Haris, general secretary of Bengaluru city Youth Congress, and son of N.A. Haris, MLA, on the charge of brutally punching and kicking a patron who had already suffered an injury, at a Bengaluru restaurant.
Absconding
Five people have been detained, but Mohammed Nalapad is absconding.
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The incident took a political turn with the BJP and other parties staging protests on Sunday, demanding his arrest and accusing the Congress of sheltering him.
Later in the day, Home Minister R. Ramalinga Reddy visited the victim, Vidvat, at Mallya Hospital. Mr. Reddy said that he had instructed the police to arrest the accused by Sunday evening or face suspension. A threat that he made good on a few hours later with Mohammed Nalapad still at large.
The incident took place around 11 p.m. on Saturday at a popular restaurant in UB City Mall where Vidvat, 24, was having dinner with his friend, Praveen. As his leg was cast in plaster owing to a recent injury, he had stretched it to which Mohammed Nalapad allegedly took objection.
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According to eyewitnesses, as Mohammed Nalapad walked past Vidvat, he asked him to sit properly. After Vidvat replied that he was unable to do so because of his injury, the situation escalated.
Mohammed Nalapad and his friends allegedly surrounded Vidvat and punched and kicked him repeatedly.
According to police officers, at least 10 people, led by Mohammed Nalapad, also, barged into the hospital where he was admitted.