Australian couple insult deity, harassed by ‘BJP’ workers

An Australian national and his girlfriend were allegedly harassed by a group of people for sporting tattoo of a Hindu goddess on his body and forced by the police to write an apology for “intentionally spreading hatred”.

The police have launched an inquiry into the allegations levelled by the couple, who narrated the ordeal on a facebook post claiming that they were “illegally detained” by the police after the “vicious assault by members of BJP”.  

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Bengaluru Central) Sandeep Patil said the police had viewed the matter seriously. He said an Assistant Commissioner of Police was inquiring into the incident and on receiving his report, strict action would be taken against the “concerned persons.”  “As alleged by the foreign national, if there was any kind of harassment by the crowd or cops, the Bangalore police will take the matter seriously,” he said. Patil said if police had forced the couple to tend an apology, “it is serious”. He said according to preliminary inquiry, the foreigners were having lunch at a hotel and noticing the tatoo on his leg, some people objected to it, which led to a commotion.