BENGALURU: When Adil Naniadwala went to drop his schoolgoing niece to the gate of their apartment complex on Tuesday, he didn't know he'd end up with a fractured nose and an injured back. A group of labourers allegedly beat him up when he objected to their supervisor's inappropriate behaviour.

It all began when Adil, resident of Salarpuria Greenage Apartments in Bommanahalli, came down to see off his nine-year-old niece. But before they could get to the schoolbus, the construction supervisor allegedly passed lewd comments and made crude gestures. When Adil confronted him, 10-15 labourers surrounded the 24-year-old businessman. He managed to send his niece to school before things got out of hand.

The argument turned ugly and Adil informed his brother-in-law Devendar Mandwala of the situation. Devendar rushed down to help Adil but even he wasn't spared by the mob. The labourers allegedly hit the duo with rods.

When morning walkers tried to intervene, the labourers walked away only to return in a bigger group of over 60. Fearing the mob, Adil and Devendar, who were badly injured, hid in one of the buildings for a while. They were rushed to St John's Hospital in Koramangala where they were treated in the emergency OPD. While Adil suffered a nose fracture and back injury, Devendar hurt his fingers and toes.

When residents called police, only one cop from Madiwala police station came to the spot at 9.30am and dismissed the incident as a squabble. "My husband called me saying they were in trouble. The labourers had misbehaved with some women in the past but no action has been taken," alleged Devendar's wife Minaaz.

An FIR has been lodged with Madiwala police. A senior cop said an assault case has been booked against the men who attacked the duo.

