What first appeared to be a one-sided attack on an Indian Air Force couple in Bengaluru has now taken a different shape. The Bengaluru Police have confirmed that both sides were involved in the fight. The incident is now being seen as a case of road rage and not a hate attack based on language or origin.

The incident came to light after a video of Wing Commander Shiladitya Bose went viral on social media. In the video, the officer was seen bleeding from his forehead and neck. He narrated how a biker allegedly stopped their car and attacked him while making comments in Kannada and mentioning the DRDO sticker on their vehicle.

The officer said, "A bike came from behind and stopped our car... The guy started abusing me in Kannada. When they saw the DRDO sticker on my car and said, 'You DRDO people,' and they abused my wife and me, I couldn't bear it. The moment I got out of my car, the biker hit me with a key on my forehead, and there was blood."

Wing Commander Bose’s wife, Squadron Leader Madhumita Bose, was driving the car. She was taking her husband to the airport early in the morning from DRDO Colony, located in CV Raman Nagar, Bengaluru.

As the video of the injured officer gained attention, many people on social media started claiming that the attack happened because the couple were non-Kannadigas. However, Bengaluru's Deputy Commissioner of Police (East), Devaraj D, denied these claims. He said that the fight was not based on language or regional identity but was a case of road rage.

New video shows both sides fighting

After the first video went viral, a new CCTV video came out showing a different side of the fight. In this video, Wing Commander Bose is seen fighting with the accused man, Vikas Kumar, on the footpath. The officer is seen pushing him and holding him by the neck. His wife is also seen trying to stop the fight.

Later in the video, the accused is seen making a phone call. After that, the officer punched him. The man fell to the ground and then kicked the officer. The officer went after him again, but some local people came and tried to stop the fight.

According to the police, at least four CCTV footages from the area have been collected. All of them show that both the officer and the biker were involved in attacking each other. Deputy Commissioner Devaraj D said, “This is a case of road rage. An altercation took place, and both sides attacked each other... His wife was driving, and he was seated beside her. An altercation broke out between the couple and a bike rider.”

He added that, “We have ample video evidence and will proceed with the investigation.”

The accused, Vikas Kumar, has also filed a counter-complaint against the Air Force officer. He told the police that he was simply passing by when the woman inside the car made a comment. He said he asked, "What are you talking about?" and then went to the officer and asked, "What is Madam saying?" An argument followed, which later turned into a fight.

Squadron Leader Madhumita Bose also filed a police complaint. She said that the biker was driving rashly and nearly hit their car. She said that after she looked at him, the biker overtook their car, stopped it, and began abusing her and her husband. She said that the man used a stone to hit her husband and shouted, "You are from DRDO; I can see the sticker. This is Kannada land. I will see you."

She also said, "I told my husband to sit in the car, but he came again and dragged him on the road... the mob was hitting us."

Wing Commander Bose was bleeding when they reached the police station. The police officer at the station told him to get first aid and return to file the complaint. Since he was getting late for the airport, he left. Later, he posted the video online to explain what happened.

In the video, Wing Commander Bose said, "Thankfully, my wife was there to take me out, and we went to the police station to file a complaint, but there is no response from there."

He further added, "This is what Karnataka has become, seeing the truth, the reality... I couldn't believe it. God help us. God, give me the power not to retaliate. Tomorrow, if law and order don't help us, I will retaliate."

The Bengaluru police have registered an FIR and are continuing their investigation. They have said that the case will be handled based on the video evidence and the complaints from both sides.

Earlier, only one side of the story was known

At first, only Wing Commander Aditya Bose’s version of the incident was available. In a video he posted on Instagram, his face and neck were covered in blood as he described how a biker started following their car, abused them in Kannada, and hit him on the forehead with a key. He also claimed the biker threw a stone at their vehicle, which again hit him on the head. Bose said bystanders did not help and instead shouted at him and his wife.

This gave the impression that it was a one-sided attack. However, new videos and police investigations have now revealed that both sides were involved in the fight.

 

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