BENGALURU: In a twist that seemed straight out of a slapstick crime story, a man caught stealing electrical equipment has filed a police complaint alleging that he was assaulted by local residents.
The complainant, Azgar Khan (24), an auto driver, told police that unidentified persons hit him on the head after he was caught stealing from an independent house in Sampigehalli in the city’s northeastern area.
The incident took place on the night of January 31, when Khan and two associates allegedly targeted a house on Chokkanahalli Main Road. According to police, Khan, who was addicted to alcohol and cigarettes, claimed that his income from driving an auto was insufficient to support his habits. To meet his expenses, he said he occasionally resorted to theft along with his associates, Razak and Shyam.
The trio reportedly scaled the compound wall and began removing electrical materials kept outside the house. However, the occupants — a couple — were alerted by the noise and rushed out, shouting at them. Instead of fleeing, the three allegedly confronted the couple.
In his complaint, Khan admitted that they attacked the homeowners. He claimed that one of his associates struck the man on the head with a beer bottle, while fragments from the bottle injured the woman’s face. When the couple raised an alarm, neighbours rushed to the spot.
“My associates managed to escape, but I was caught and assaulted. One person hit me on the head with a wooden log,” Khan stated, seeking action against those who attacked him.
Meanwhile, the house owner also filed a complaint against Khan and his accomplices, accusing them of assaulting him and his wife with a beer bottle.
Based on the couple’s complaint, which was registered first, police arrested Khan and his associates, all residents of RT Nagar. They were later remanded to judicial custody at Bengaluru Central Prison.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (North-East) Mithun Kumar GK said that investigations are ongoing.
