Bengaluru: An Australian citizen and his friend were abused and harassed by an unruly crowd in Bengaluru on Saturday for having a tattoo of a goddess on his leg. After complaining the issue to the police the mob forced him to draft an apology letter in the police station.
Mr. Gordon, the Australian man who was confronted by a group of local people at a restaurant here on Saturday for sporting a goddess tattoo on his shin, his girl friend, Emily Kassianou (20), both from Melbourne and their local friend Abishek were taken to the Ashok Nagar police station.
The Australian couple were allegedly given a “dressing-down” and a “lesson on Hindu values” by the police personnel in front of the protesting group.
“Policemen forced Matthew to write an apology and we were made to wait for three hours till he did so,” said Ms. Kassianou.
“The policemen advised me on Hindu religion and insisted I give a written apology for not covering my goddess tattoo, even as the group just watched. I tried taking law points, but had to finally give in as my girlfriend was in tears as the cops wouldn’t let us go,” Mr. Gordon said.
The alleged, who also has a Ganesha tattoo on his back, said that he didn’t want to stay in Bengaluru anymore and that he shouldn’t be victimized for following his spiritual journey and the markings on his body.
