Bengaluru: FIR against woman for vandalising Onam flower display

A Bengaluru woman who destroyed a traditional flower arrangement made by children to celebrate Onam in an apartment complex has been charged by the police following an outcry on social media.

The Sampigehalli police registered a case against the woman, Simi Nair, originally from Pathanamthitta district in Kerala, according to reports.

The complaint was filed by the apartment’s Malayali association after the incident, which led to the case being filed against her.

A viral video showed the woman arguing with other residents and deliberately vandalising the pookalam (flower decoration) done during Onam, leading to widespread public anger. She wanted to know why the arrangement wasn’t placed outside individual homes, to which residents explained that the lobby was a shared space.

The incident occurred at the Monarch Serenity Apartment Complex in Hegde Nagar, east Bengaluru, where Malayali residents were celebrating Onam and where they have conducted Onam celebrations for seven years.

Her actions had triggered an online backlash, with many condemning her behaviour.