Action sought against landlord for beating up student

Arunachal Pradesh Governor P.B. Acharya and Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Thursday shot off letters to their Karnataka counterparts seeking legal action against the landlord for assaulting Higio Gungtey, an undergraduate student.

The 22-year-old Gungtey, a fourth-semester student of Christ University in Bengaluru, was allegedly assaulted by his landlord Hemanth Kumar on March 6 over the usage of water. He was also forced to lick his landlord house owner's shoes for using excessive water.

Acharya, who had a telephonic talk with his counterpart Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala, said such irresponsible and uncivilized behaviour of a few needed to be condemned by one and all.

"It is against the very spirit of national character," the Arunachal Governor said and requested Vala to give special attention towards these problems and challenges of students from the North East, particularly Arunachal Pradesh.

Acharya also directed Karnataka Chief Secretary Subhash Chnadra Khuntia to take immediate and strong action against the culprits.

"A criminal case under the provision of SC/ST act may also be initiated against the culprits," he demanded.

Acharya, who also met Gungtey's relatives at Raj Bhavan, spoke to the boy's parents Higio Tama and Higio Yame, who are in Bengaluru to meet their son and take further steps.

Chief Minister Pema Khandu also shot off a letter to his Karnataka counterpart Siddaramaiah requesting his personal intervention in punishing the culprit.

Khandu specifically noted in his letter that though several charges were filed against the culprit, Hemanth Kumar, a lawyer by profession, had managed to obtain anticipatory bail.

The Chief Minister drew Siddaramaiah's attention to the fact that every year, thousands of students from Arunachal Pradesh go to Karnataka, particularly Bengaluru, for higher and technical education.

While pointing that these students face racial discrimination in one or other form, Khandu asserted that such discrimination ought to be negated in every possible way.

"I would therefore seek your personal intervention in the present case to ensure that the culprit is punished according to the law of the land and justice is delivered to the victim and his family members."

--IANS

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