Bengaluru Road Rage: Call Centre Employee Booked For Assaulting IAF Officer

Bengaluru road rage: A call centre employee working at an IT company was arrested in connection with a C.V. Raman Nagar incident, where Indian Air Force (IAF) Wing Commander Shiladitya Bose was allegedly assaulted, Byappanahalli Police said.

The arrest was made after a viral video posted by the IAF officer, Wing Commander Shiladitya Bose went viral, in which he alleged that he was assaulted without provocation. The video sparked outrage on social media and triggered a debate over language-based hostility in the city.

In the video, Bose claimed that he and his wife, an officer with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), were on their way to the airport from DRDO Colony when a biker approached them aggressively, blocked their path, and began hurling abuses in Kannada. He further alleged that the biker attacked him with a key and later struck him with a stone, leaving him bleeding from his face and head. He also expressed concern for the safety of his wife and child, stating that bystanders failed to intervene, barring a few senior citizens.

However, CCTV footage that surfaced on social media on Tuesday evening presented a different picture. The footage showed that both parties - Shiladitya Bose and the accused, Vikas Kumar - were involved in a physical altercation. Both men sustained injuries during the fight.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (East), D. Devaraja, confirmed that the investigation so far indicates the incident was a case of road rage. He dismissed the language angle, clarifying that preliminary findings do not support claims of a targeted attack based on language.

According to the police, Vikas Kumar who works as in IT as a call centre employee, was riding his two-wheeler from the opposite direction when he had a confrontation with Madhumita Das, who was driving the car with Bose as a passenger. An argument ensued, leading Bose to step out of the vehicle. The two men soon got into a fistfight before passersby intervened to break it up.

"It appears to be a case of avoidable road rage. Both parties were involved in the scuffle. We are continuing the investigation, and dashcam footage from the complainant's car will offer more clarity," Devaraja added.

The police are now examining all available evidence, including dashcam footage, to establish the complete sequence of events.