The Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor
Images
Photographic evidence of assault on Oct 25 2007
On 25 October 2007, ESG Team members and several international students and faculty were assaulted by a large group of men while traveling on the Peripheral Road of Bangalore from Kanakapura to Mysore Road. This dastardly attack was led by Mr. Ashok Kheny, Managing Director of M/s Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise Ltd., his PRO Mr. Manjunath, and several scores of his security men. The following are pictures of this assault.
Picture 1 Ashok Kheny (bespectacled man in T-shirt), Managing Director of Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE), 'project developers' of the highly contested and controversial Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Project, led the attack on ESG staff and several international students as they were crossing the Southern Peripheral Road of Bangalore near Sompura village, Kengeri, Bangalore. Seen here is Ashok Kheny, along with his men, encircling the bus. At this time Ashok Kheny started abusing Leo Saldanha, Coordinator, Environment Support Group (on the cell attempting to reach higher police authorities) and this resulted in several of his men attacking Leo physically. Dolly Kalita of ESG (in yellow T-shirt) luckily escaped their brutalities at this stage.
Picture 2 Leo being kicked and pushed around by Ashok Kheny's private security guards and NICE employees, as police remain mute spectators. The man in white shirt in the foreground seemed most effective amongst NICE employees in orchestrating this attack. Apparently a former police official, the police in uniform seemed to defer to him throughout this incident.
Picture 3 Leo lying on the road after being kicked to the ground. The man in full white shirt (in foreground with back to the camera) is Manjunath, PRO of NICE. He had just before incited his men to attack by saying such things as "we can finish you (meaning Leo) off, whenever we want to".
Picture 4 Manjunath and the man in white shirt were amongst the main perpetrators of the attack along with Ashok Kheny.
Picture 5 Students calling for help, as Leo protects the NICE employees from getting at the bus.
Picture 6 The man in glasses was the first to arrive and confront the ESG team as they had parked on the roadside. He claimed that he was the Chief Security Officer of NICE and also a former Dy. Supt. of Police. The serving police officials who arrived on the scene seemed to defer at lot to what he said, and thus did not come to the rescue of the ESG team and students. The young man in half sleeve white shirt was particularly aggressive.
Picture 7 Another picture revealing police remained mere spectators.
Picture 8 B. S. Manjunatha, Sub Inspector of Thalagattapura Police Station, who arrived later, was particularly unhelpful. He verbally accused Leo and the ESG team of "disrupting peace" and even asked his men to arrest Leo ('u/s 341 of IPC') when he demanded a spot inspection by an officer independent of this police station. Leo was compelled to ask for an independent inspection, as everyone of the Thalagattapura Police were absolutely unhelpful to ESG team and students.
Picture 9 Another picture reveals that the ESG bus and car were in no way 'obstructing traffic' as NICE has accused them of in the media. NICE employees seen surrounding the bus and refusing to allow it to move as police remain absolutely unhelpful to the victims of the attack.
Picture 10 Leo arguing to be left to go with his team. But the NICE men simply did not relent.
Picture 11 Another picture of Ashok Kheny's private security guards in an aggressive mood.
Picture 12 Another scene of the aggression on ESG team.
Picture 13 Rather than dealing with the situation appropriately, the police picked Leo apparently, at this stage, under arrest. Realising their folly, the police did not arrest Leo, but ensured he remained in their jeep.
Picture 14 Ashok Kheny's private security guard (this man with a mustache was especially aggressive) in the act of attacking Bhargavi, Dolly and Leo. Leo shouted at him not to lay his hands on the women, but this man kept pushing ahead in his efforts to grab Leo and his camera.
Picture 15 Another scene of NICE security men having encircled the ESG bus. This photo is taken from Leo's car as it quickly retreated from the 300 yards or so it had covered already, and when it was realised that the NICE employees had tactically allowed Leo's car to move away, and then encircled the bus with students. The ESG hired bus is seen parked on the shoulder.
Picture 16 Leo seen urging NICE employees to let them go, and not to cause any aggression.
Picture 17 Another picture showing NICE employees in an aggressive mood.
Picture 18 A foreigner, who was with Ashok Kheny, was on the scene throughout this attack.
ESG is an independent not-for-profit organisation that promotes the cause of environmental and social justice through research, documentation, advocacy, training and campaign support. We aim to support the rights of local communities and voiceless ecosystems in a responsible, progressive manner that keeps contextual complexities in mind.