Bangalore, Aug 24 (DHNS) : Violent clashes broke out between the public and the police at Lakshmipura here on Saturday evening after a section of people went on a rampage while protesting against the death of a youth who hanged himself at home following his release from a 48-hour detention by Kempegowda Nagar police.
The mob set ablaze a Cheetah motorcycle of patrolling staff alleging that police atrocity drove 26-year-old Pradeep to take the extreme step. Police resorted to mild lathi-charge to disperse the mob. The body of the youth was shifted to the morgue after the situation was brought under control.
Bangalore Police Commissioner M N Reddi and Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Alok Kumar, who rushed to the spot, suspended Station House Officer of the Kempegowda Nagar Police Station C D Nagaraj.
According to police, Pradeep, a cab driver with a real estate firm, hanged himself at his residence in the evening. His brother, Sandeep, saw his hanging body and alerted all his relatives and neighbours.
Enraged by the death, Pradeep’s relatives and friends went on a rampage and blocked a road to protest against the alleged police atrocity.
The police said Pradeep, an unmarried youth, lived with his parents at Lakshmipura in the third floor of the building, which is owned by his father Eeranna. They have rented the second floor of their house to another cab driver, who lives in the second floor of the building.
Pradeep was an alcoholic and used to make vulgar gestures towards his tenant's wife. Three days ago, a drunk Pradeep returned home at 10:30 pm. Knowing that the cab driver was not at home, he knocked on her door when she was asleep.
He asked her to open the door which she refused. Later, he started hitting the door asking her to let him in. The frightened woman then called her relatives who reaching there and informed the police.
The patrolling police team that reached the spot took Pradeep to the police station. Pradeep’s friend Bhargava then persuaded the tenant not to file any complaint. The tenant agreed but demanded that the security deposit they had paid to rent the house be returned to them immediately.
Agreeing to their condition, Eeranna and Bhargava paid Rs 70,000 to the tenant and they vacated the house. The Kempegowda Nagar police, who waited in vain for the victim to lodge a complaint, later released Pradeep on Friday evening.
MLA Ravi Subramanya and corporator Chandrashekar who reached the spot, also alleged that police high-handedness led to the incident. They demanded stern action against the policemen responsible for Pradeep's death.