Bengaluru, May 30: Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait was attacked with black paint during a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan in Bengaluru on Monday.
The attack happened when Tikait was attending a press conference on “Raita Chaluvali, Aatmavalokana haagu Spasteekarana Sabha (Farmer’s Movement, Introspection and Clarification Meeting)” organised by Karnataka State Farmers Association and Hasiru Sene.
The leaders were clarifying the recent allegations against farmer leader Kodihalli Chandrashekar, who was exposed by the local media on negotiating bribes for stopping protests.
Three men suddenly climbed the platform and threw black paint upon Rakesh Tikait. Another farmer leader Yudhvir Singh was also smeared with black paint.
Eye-witnesses said that Rakesh Tikait suffered an injury on his head. The farmer leaders and activists, who were present at the press conference, dragged the miscreants and thrashed them. The local police, who rushed to the spot, arrested the three.
The farmer leaders have expressed their anger over the failure of the Karnataka Police in protecting Rakesh Tikait. They claimed that the threat perception was communicated to the police, but they have turned a blind eye.