IAF officer booked for assault on call centre employee in Bengaluru's road rage incident

An FIR has been registered against a 40-year-old IAF officer based on a counter-complaint by a call centre employee, who was previously arrested on the officer's complaint in a road rage incident, police said on Tuesday.

Indian Air Force Wing Commander Shiladitya Bose made an allegation in a video he shared that he was attacked and verbally abused by a group of Kannada-speaking individuals who chased him on a bike in Bengaluru early Monday morning. Terming it a case of road rage, police arrested Vikas Kumar, who works as a team head at a software company's call centre.

Both parties have attacked each other, and some purported videos showed the IAF officer roughing up the accused, creating a scene for the onlookers. The officer was captured engaging in an argument with Kumar and beating him up in full public view, even as his wife tried to stop him.

The incident occurred while the officer was on his way to the airport with his wife, who is also an Indian Air Force (IAF) officer.

A case has been registered against Shiladitya Bose under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at Byappanahalli police station based on the counter complaint given by Vikas Kumar who alleged that he was also assaulted by the officer, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Devaraj D.

In a video statement, Kumar's mother Jyothi sought justice for her son and asked isn't it wrong to put the blame entirely on her son? She said being a commander, an IAF officer, he thrashed her son and also damaged his bike.

"Even after doing all this, if we had given a complaint against the officer, it would have become a big issue. But we didn't initially give a police complaint and returned, thinking let it go....this is a small issue. But now they (the officer and his wife) have made this a big issue and are troubling my son. I want justice for my son," she added.

Based on a complaint lodged by the officer's wife, Squadron Leader Madhumita Dutta, a case was registered at the Byappanahalli police station against unknown individuals, police said, following which Kumar was arrested in the case.

DCP said, "An altercation took place between them. Both attacked each other. Around 6 am on Monday, the Air Force officer was heading from his DRDO quarters to Kempegowda International Airport. His wife was driving, and he was seated beside her." Analysis of CCTV footage from the area and videos recorded by bystanders showed that both parties could have avoided the conflict, he added.

"When they came to the police station, he was advised by the SHO to get first aid, as he was bleeding, and then return to file the FIR. But since he was getting late, he left for the airport. Once he went live on social media, we found out. We then traced Madhumita's details and approached the DRDO quarters. She came to the station and lodged a complaint. We have registered an FIR under (section dealing with) grievous hurt," he said.

During questioning, Vikas Kumar claimed that he was passing by when the woman allegedly made a remark and he asked, "What are you talking about?" and then approached the IAF officer to ask, "What is Madam saying?".

"We have a lot of video evidence and will proceed with the investigation," the DCP said.