A police inspector and three constables were suspended in Manguluru on Monday, 25 April, pending a probe for allegedly assaulting Bajrang Dal activists at the Bajpe police station, according to a Quint report.
The activists had been detained by the police for heckling a coconut vendor.
Two right-wing activists hailing from Kateel were abused and taken to Bajpe police station where they were assaulted by inspector PG Sandesh and three other police staff.
The activists had been taken into custody after the police received a complaint from a Muslim vendor, who said that the activists had attempted to stop him from unloading his tender coconuts at a shop in Moodbidri.
The men had allegedly told the vendor, Ismail, that he was not permitted to trade there.
After a local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, Eshwar Kateel, reached the police station in support of the activists, the latter were then released.
Protests had been been held outside the police station after the Bajrang Dal members were detained.
The Bajrang Dal activists later alleged that they were harassed and beaten inside the police station. Following the allegations, Mangalore Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar ordered the suspension of Bajpe police inspector PG Sandesh and three others.
