Bengaluru: A routine evening outside a bakery in Subramanyapura turned into a shocking assault when a landlord and his son allegedly set their pitbull on two men belonging to the Scheduled Castes during a heated quarrel, leaving both victims injured and sparking a police investigation under multiple sections, including the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The accused — Shivarudrappa (52), who owns the property where the bakery operates, and his son Adithya (31), employed in a private firm — were booked on Sunday after the incident on Thursday evening, police said.

According to police reports, the clash began around 7:50 pm near a bakery adjacent to Shivarudrappa’s house in Arehalli when the two victims — Lokesh (50), an auto-rickshaw driver, and Manohar (age not disclosed), a painter — stopped for tea. Shivarudrappa allegedly objected to their presence, hurled caste-based abuses, and tried to drive them away, leading to a verbal confrontation.

As the argument escalated, Shivarudrappa and his son reportedly deliberately released their pet pitbull, which attacked the men. Police said the dog bit Lokesh on his knee and inflicted injury on Manohar’s stomach before bystanders intervened and alerted authorities.

Both victims were rushed to a nearby hospital, where they were treated for bite wounds and later discharged. They were also administered anti-rabies vaccinations as a precaution, police added.

A senior officer from Subramanyapura Police Station confirmed that apart from sections relating to assault and criminal intimidation, the complaint includes charges for using an animal to cause injury and relevant provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, given the alleged caste-based component to the abuse.

Lokesh, one of the victims, told reporters that the accused had a history of animosity toward members of his community and often used offensive language. Police said statements from witnesses and CCTV footage were being examined as part of the ongoing investigation.

Pitbulls are classified by animal welfare groups as among breeds considered “ferocious and dangerous” under a 2024 central government list aimed at promoting responsible ownership, though a High Court order has stayed the circular in the state.