Mysuru: The incident where three persons smashing the windshield, headlights and windows of a Wagon ‘R’ car at Siddartha Nagar on the Lalitha Mahal Palace Road near the Karanji Lake Signal even as there were five occupants inside the car has taken a new turn. It has now come to light that the main reason for the assault was an accident that injured a little girl.

According to the Police, on Tuesday (Dec.12) Supriya, wife of Jayasheelan, a resident of Jnana Marga in Siddartha Nagar was on her Honda Activa with her thee-year-old daughter Tanushree when a car (KA-09 N-4979) accidentally brushed her vehicle. Losing balance, Supriya fell on the road and Tanushree sustained injuries on her face and head.

Adarsh, who was driving the car, stopped his vehicle and took the injured child to Shanthaveri Gopalagowda Hospital and got her treatment. He even paid a bill of Rs. 3,500 and informed Jayasheelan, who came to the hospital, about the incident and gave his phone number and said that he has to leave the hospital to attend a family ceremony and would return in the evening.

After this, Adarsh left the place and reported the incident at Siddartha Nagar Traffic Police Station. Later in the evening, Supriya and Jayasheelan went to the same Police Station and lodged a complaint against Adarsh for rash driving. After lodging the complaint, Jayasheelan, however, took law into his own hands and damaged the car along with his friends in full public view — the video of which was uploaded on social media by some passersby.

While the group was attacking the vehicle smashing the glasses, there were five occupants inside that included Adarsh, two women and two children.  The attackers pulled Adarsh out of the vehicle and beat him up too. Police said that Jayasheelan and his gang had lethal weapons that were used to damage the car.

The car is owned by one Vinod Kumar, a resident of Gayathripuram. Vinod, who had got married recently, had arranged for a ‘Beegara Oota’ at the foot of Chamundi Hill and had handed over his Wagon ‘R’ car to his friend Adarsh to ferry relatives to the venue. Accordingly, Adarsh was transporting relatives and the vehicle collided with Supriya’s scooter.

Speaking to Star of Mysore yesterday, Vinod said that his friend Adarsh had admitted Supriya’s daughter Tanushree at the hospital, paid medical expenses and had even promised Jayasheelan that he would come in the evening after attending the family ceremony.

“Despite this, Jayasheelan and his friends stopped the car near on Lalitha Mahal Road and smashed the glasses and lights as the occupants, including children, watched in horror. They had iron rods, longs and clubs and they were a group of 12 to 15 persons,” he said.

Vinod Kumar said that though the women and children repeatedly pleaded to stop the attack, the group abused the occupants, hurling expletives. “I was not aware of the accident and was shocked after Adarsh narrated the incident. We later lodged a complaint with Nazarbad Police,” he said.

Meanwhile, Jayasheela’s family has requested the Police to arrest Adarsh for causing the accident and injuring Tanushree. DCP N. Vishunuvardhana said, a case had been registered against 12 persons, but the Police have arrested three  persons so far.

GOONDA ACT

City Police Commissioner Dr. A. Subrahmanyeswara Rao said that the Police will book Jayasheelan and his friends under Goonda Act.

The Police have registered an FIR, booked them under 11 sections of the IPC including Section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 341 (wrongful restraint), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapons), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 427 (mischief causing   damage to the amount of fifty rupees and more), 352 (assault or criminal force otherwise than on grave provocation), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 141 (show of criminal force,criminal trespass.

Nazarbad Police Inspector Shekhar said that though the accident where the child was injured triggered the incident, Jayasheelan and his friends took law into their own hands and displayed rowdy attitude. “The attack on the car and the abuse of women and children is not acceptable. So far we have arrested three persons and we are on the lookout for the rest of the accused,” he said.

RIDING WITHOUT HELMET

Nazarbad Police have said that  the day of the incident, Supriya was not wearing a helmet while riding her Honda Activa scooter with her daughter Tanushree.

Initial investigations have revealed that both Supriya and Adarsh who was driving the car had driving licences.