A routine afternoon at a fruit juice stall in Bengaluru's Bommanahalli area descended into a harrowing ordeal for vendor Aakash, who was brutally assaulted and illegally confined by two men based on a false accusation linking his juice to a miscarriage.
The Violent Confrontation at the Stall
The incident unfolded on December 27, around 3 pm, near a government hospital in Roopena Agrahara. Aakash, a resident of Bommanahalli originally from Bihar, operates a small pushcart juice stall. According to his police complaint, an unidentified man suddenly approached his stall and began shouting at him.
When Aakash questioned the man about the reason for his anger, the individual immediately assaulted him. The assailant accused Aakash of serving pineapple juice to his pregnant wife on a previous occasion, claiming this act had caused her to suffer a miscarriage. Aakash consistently maintained that he only serves what customers order and that the woman in question had regularly been ordering mosambi (sweet lime) juice over the preceding days.
Forced Confinement and Threats
Ignoring his pleas, the accused forced Aakash to accompany him to a house located near the Ganesha temple. There, the pregnant woman was present. Aakash once again explained that he had served only mosambi juice as requested.
The situation rapidly escalated. Allegedly, the woman's husband, joined by another unidentified man, then forcibly confined Aakash in a room. For over two hours, the duo subjected him to verbal abuse in both Kannada and Hindi, physically assaulted him further, and even threatened to kill him.
Police Case and Ongoing Investigation
Aakash was finally released around 5:30 pm. He subsequently sought medical treatment at a nearby hospital and filed a formal complaint at the Bommanahalli police station on the same day.
Based on his complaint, the police have registered a case under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The charges include BNS Section 115 (voluntarily causing hurt), Section 127 (wrongful confinement), Section 351 (criminal intimidation), and Section 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace). Police officials confirmed that efforts are underway to identify and apprehend the accused individuals.
This shocking case highlights the vulnerabilities faced by street vendors and the severe consequences of taking the law into one's own hands based on unfounded allegations.
