Bengaluru, June 30 (IANS) A group of Nepali nationals allegedly involved in a violent altercation on the footpath opposite the Vidhana Soudha has once again raised concerns over public disorder in the area, with the incident’s video going viral on social media.

The Vidhana Soudha police have arrested four persons in connection with the incident. The accused have been identified as Shakti, Ishwar, Dipendra and another individual, all natives of Baitadi district in Nepal.

The 18-second-long video shows Nepali youths dragging and hitting each other in broad daylight right in front of Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru. The incident which took place in front of tourists has created concern.

It may be noted that the Vidhana Soudha building is one of the major tourist spots, and a large number of tourists visit the place on weekends and holidays.

According to the police, the incident occurred on the evening of June 28 within the limits of the Vidhana Soudha Police Station.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the accused were employed as security guards at a private establishment in J.M. Pallya, Kaggadasapura, in Bengaluru.

Police said the group had gone to Chamarajpet last Sunday to attend a gathering. While returning, an argument reportedly broke out between two groups over one group allegedly obstructing the other while photographs were being taken near Vidhana Soudha.

The verbal altercation soon escalated into a physical fight on the footpath opposite the State Legislature building. A video of the brawl, showing members of the two groups assaulting each other in public, has since gone viral on social media.

Based on a complaint, the Vidhana Soudha police registered a case and arrested four of the accused. Further investigation is underway to identify and trace others involved in the clash.

The incident comes months after a similar episode involving Nepali nationals in Bengaluru. In November last year, the police arrested 11 persons of Nepali origin after a group clash allegedly triggered by a dispute involving a young woman. In that incident, members of the rival groups had allegedly assaulted each other with wooden sticks.

Police are continuing their investigation into the latest incident to ascertain the role of all those involved and determine whether additional arrests are required.

–IANS

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