Septuagenarian farmer Fakeerappa, who was earlier denied entry owing to his attire of the traditiona 'panche' (dhoti), along with Kannada activist enters the G T Mall, in Bengaluru, on Wednesday.
Credit: DH Photo/S K Dinesh
Bengaluru: Two days after an elderly farmer wearing a panche was denied entry to the GT World Mall in Bengaluru, Kempapura Agrahara police has registered a case against the owner and the security guard of the mall.
The Kempapura Agrahara Police registered a case on Wednesday against the unnamed owner of the GT World Mall and Arun, the security guard, who had stopped Fakeerappa and his family from entering the shopping mall located on Magadi Road.
The case has been lodged under Section 126(2) (punishment of wrongful restraint) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The case was registered following a complaint by Dharmaraj Gowda, one of those who protested against the incident.
"We have begun the investigations,” a police officer said.
Around 6 pm on Tuesday, Fakeerappa from Haveri visited the mall with his son Nagesh and wife to watch a movie. Fakeerappa wore a crisp white shirt and panche (dhoti).
"He (the security staffer) told us we won’t be allowed inside in a panche,” Fakeerappa told reporters. "To enter, wear trousers and come, we were told.”
Fakeerappa’s son Nagaraj said they were not allowed because of the “rules”.
“At the main gate, we were told we wouldn’t be allowed and that we should speak to the supervisors. When I spoke with the higher authorities, we were told that we wouldn’t be allowed in a panche, no matter what. It was my wish to watch a movie with my parents at the mall,” he said.
On Wednesday, members of pro-Kannada outfits held a protest at the mall. Fakeerappa was then garlanded by the mall authorities, who later issued an apology.