Bengaluru Delivery Boy Attacked in Early Morning Incident, Language Barrier Cited in FIR
A quick commerce delivery agent in Bengaluru was subjected to a violent assault in the early hours of Saturday, allegedly stemming from a verbal altercation over language. The 25-year-old Zepto employee, Basavaraj, was reportedly abused by a group of girls before being physically attacked by their male companions.
Basavaraj, who balances his quick commerce job with his studies, was on his way back to Santhosh Nagar from 4th Phase in Yelahanka New Town after completing a delivery around 4:40 AM. It was at this time that the incident unfolded, with the girls reportedly initiating the confrontation by verbally abusing him in Hindi.
According to the First Information Report (FIR) obtained by news agency PTI, Basavaraj confronted the girls, stating he did not understand Hindi and requested them to explain the reason for their abuse in Kannada. This interaction reportedly escalated the situation.
Watch Video: Zepto delivery agent attacked in Bengaluru
The FIR details that the girls allegedly responded by pulling Basavaraj’s cap and attempting to assault him. In immediate response, he dialed the police helpline 112 and also contacted an acquaintance named Ashok for help.
Following this, the girls reportedly called their male friends to the scene. This group then physically assaulted Basavaraj, using a wooden stick found nearby. The victim sustained bleeding injuries to his back, head, and nose, as per the FIR.
When Basavaraj’s friend, Ashok, arrived to intervene, he too was attacked on his head. The miscreants continued to use abusive language and allegedly issued threats that both victims would not be spared.
The Yelahanka New Town Police Station has registered a case against unidentified individuals under Sections 118, 126, 351, 352, and 3 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, launching an investigation into the incident.
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This incident adds to a series of previously reported language-related aggressions in Bengaluru, where clashes between Hindi and Kannada speaking individuals have occurred. A notable case last year involved a State Bank of India (SBI) employee who refused to communicate in Kannada with a customer, insisting on Hindi. The viral incident sparked a widespread online debate concerning linguistic respect and cultural sensitivity.
Earlier this year, a warden at an engineering college hostel in Karnataka was dismissed after instructing students against speaking Kannada on campus, further highlighting the ongoing tensions surrounding language in the region.
