Hassan, Feb 28 (IANS): In a shocking incident, upper caste Hindus attacked a Dalit man and his son for selling sugarcane juice by the roadside at Arakalagudu in Karnataka's Hassan district.

Konanur police have lodged a complaint in this regard and are investigating the matter.

According to the police complaint, Chandru (50), a resident of Rudrapattana village, and his 22-year-old son Nitin sold sugarcane juice on a cart for the past six months.

On Sunday morning, a person named Sunil from Gangoor village came and started abusing them, claiming that how can people drink sugarcane juice prepared by a Dalit.

After Chandru told him that he would continue with his business, Sunil went away, only to return with his relatives and friends and assault Chandru, the complaint said.

The accused persons also hit Chandru's son Nitin. The sugarcane stock kept in the cart was thrown away. Throughout the assault, the accused kept on saying that being a Dalit and belonging to a lower caste, how could Chandru challenge them. The accused were joined by a localite Syed Tanjeem.

Chandru told the police that they had to run away from the spot to save their lives and got treatment at a hospital in Konanur.

Chandru has requested the police to give his family protection and initiate legal action against the accused persons for assaulting the father-son duo.