A viral Reddit post has stirred public outrage after a Bengaluru resident alleged that his brothers were assaulted by a group of men demanding Kannada signboards outside a women’s PG (paying guest accommodation).
According to the Reddit user, around 10 individuals were going from building to building, enforcing the controversial "60% Kannada naming" rule. The situation escalated when the group attempted to enter a women’s PG, prompting the user’s brother to film the incident from their rooftop.
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The group allegedly noticed the recording, confronted the family, and demanded the video be deleted. A verbal argument followed, which soon turned violent. The user claims that his brothers were beaten, and one of them had his glasses broken in the scuffle.
However, HT.com could not independently verify the claims made in the Reddit post at the time of publishing.
Notably, the family is local and speaks Kannada fluently, but that did not prevent the attack. “We’ve lived here our entire lives. Still, they treated us like outsiders,” the post read.
{{/usCountry}}Notably, the family is local and speaks Kannada fluently, but that did not prevent the attack. “We’ve lived here our entire lives. Still, they treated us like outsiders,” the post read.
{{/usCountry}}The Reddit user added that the altercation likely took place under CCTV surveillance from the women’s PG, and he had called the police emergency number (112) during the incident. However, the alleged attackers had fled by the time police arrived.
What’s more, in an update, the user claimed that the police closed the complaint citing non-response to a call, though he insists he never received any.
How did Reddit users react?
The post sparked hundreds of reactions online, with many expressing concern over growing language vigilantism in Bengaluru. Users criticised the police for inaction and called out the politicisation of identity, especially when it results in intimidation and violence.
“Imagine the plight of people who’ve moved here recently. If locals speaking fluent Kannada feel unsafe, what about the rest?” one user commented.
Another wrote, “This is what happens when self-appointed language custodians are given a free hand. Goondaism wrapped in linguistic pride.”
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