BJP leader thrashes fruit vendor, topples his cart; booked

Hyderabad: A fruit vendor was assaulted and his fruits destroyed by a man claiming to be a BJP leader at Narsingi, on the outskirts of Hyderabad, on 13 April.

The Narsingi police have registered a case against the alleged BJP leader, who has been identified as Venu, under Sections 341, 427, 504, and 506 of the IPC. Venu, meanwhile, lodged a complaint against the fruit vendor Shabbir alleging he had violated the lockdown orders by selling fruits.

Shabbir is a resident of Golconda and makes living selling fruits. He has set up a temporary stall on a footpath at the Alkapuri Township in the Narsingi area. On Sunday, Venu approached the stall and picked up an argument with Shabbir who tried to explain that fruits have been categorised as essential commodities and are exempt from lockdown guidelines. But Venu allegedly abused and assaulted him and threw all his fruits to the ground. When Shabbir took out his mobile phone to record Venu’s acts, the latter snatched the phone from Shabbir’s hands and threw it to the ground, damaging it completely. Venu also warned Shabbir of dire consequences and threatened him. The Narsingi police are investigating the incident.