Inhuman treatment of 16 Dalit laborers in Karnataka: accused held hostage for 15 days, beat up; a pregnant woman had a miscarriage

In Chikkamagaluru, Karnataka, a man named Jagadish Gowda has been accused of taking 16 Dalits hostage and treating them inhumanly. According to media reports, Jagdish, a BJP supporter, imprisoned these people in his coffee plantation for several days and tortured them.

According to the police, a pregnant woman among these people had a miscarriage due to the assault. The woman is currently undergoing treatment at the district hospital. A case has been registered against Jagadish Gowda and his son Tilak Gowda under the Atrocities on Dalits Act. Both the accused are absconding at present. Police is searching for them.

BJP distanced itself from the accused
The BJP has distanced itself from the matter. The party spokesperson has rubbished the claims that Jagdish is a BJP member or leader. Varsiddhi Venugopal said- ‘Jagdish is neither a party worker nor a member. He is just a supporter. He is like any other voter.

Jagdish took hostage if he could not repay the loan
According to the police, all these Dalit laborers used to work on daily wages at Jagdish’s coffee plantation in Jenugadde village of Karnataka. He had taken a loan of Rs 9 lakh from Jagdish. When the laborers could not repay the loan, Jagdish took them hostage.

Revealed by the complaint of the relatives of the laborers
A senior police officer said that on October 8, some people came to the Belhonnur police station. He claimed that Jagadish Gowda was torturing his family members. But in the evening he withdrew his complaint.

The officer further said that the next day i.e. on October 9, the pregnant woman was admitted to the district hospital and a fresh complaint was lodged with the Chief of Police at Chikkamagaluru. This case was sent to us, then we registered an FIR.

16 laborers were in captivity for 15 days
The officer investigating the matter told that when he reached the coffee plantation, he found 8-10 people locked in a room there. At that place 16 people from four families were imprisoned for 15 days. All these laborers belong to backward castes. After questioning the owner from the place, all the people were released.

Two months pregnant had a miscarriage
A woman named Arpita told that Jagdish kept her locked in the room for a day. He beat them up and abused them. Jagdish also snatched his phone. He also killed her husband and daughter. Not only this, Arpita was pregnant for two months, she had a miscarriage due to the beating.

SP Uma Prashanth of Chikkamagaluru Police said that according to the complaint filed by the families of the laborers, the laborers had borrowed money from Jagdish. Some laborers went to their homes with money, so Jagdish locked the rest in the lock.