BENGALURU: A mobile phone falling to the ground after a minor road mishap turned into a violent ordeal for a fruit vendor in Chickpete, where a group of eight to 10 people allegedly mistook him and his friend for thieves and attacked them. The vendor suffered bleeding injuries to his head and face in the assault.According to a complaint filed by Shahid Khan, a fruit vendor and resident of JJ Nagar, the incident occurred around 7 pm on Oct 19. Khan was riding his two-wheeler bearing registration number KA-07-EF-4196 from Majestic towards RT Street in Chickpete with his friend Fardeen Pasha alias Kaalu when their vehicle accidentally brushed against an unidentified man.The man’s mobile phone fell to the ground. When Pasha picked it up to return it, people nearby allegedly mistook the duo for phone thieves. A group of around eight to 10 people then allegedly began abusing them before turning on Khan and assaulting him.While some punched him near the eyes, others hit him on the head with their mobile phones, leaving him bleeding, the complaint stated.Someone from the public called the emergency helpline 112, following which Hoysala patrolling police arrived at the spot and took the injured vendor to a nearby hospital for treatment.Khan has sought action against the unidentified group for allegedly abusing and assaulting him. City Market police have registered a case under Sections 115 (voluntarily causing hurt), 118 (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 119 (every member of an unlawful assembly guilty of an offence committed in prosecution of its common object) and 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of peace) and are investigating.
