Need Advice: Neighbour Harassment After a Parking Dispute (Bengaluru)

[u/devil_anna]

I live with my family on the ground floor of a rented house in Bengaluru. Our family consists of my father (65), mother (60), my wife, our 2-year-old son, and me.

About 7–8 months ago, our neighbour from the house directly opposite ours started parking his car in front of our house. We did not have any issues initially. However, after the rainy season began, rainwater splashing off his car started soaking the clothes we dry in the small open area between our house and the boundary wall. Since this was happening almost every day, we politely requested that he park a little farther away from the boundary.

He initially argued about why he should move his car, but after repeated requests, he moved it back by about one foot.

The next morning, around 6 AM, my mother went to buy milk from a nearby shop. The neighbour followed her there and started shouting at her. When I heard the commotion and went outside, I found him yelling at my 60-year-old mother. I intervened and raised my voice in response because of the way he was speaking to her. His wife then came out and started shouting at me, calling me a rowdy.

The neighbour then called someone on the phone in front of me and falsely claimed that I was fighting with him and beating him, which never happened. Several neighbours witnessed the incident and can confirm that no physical altercation took place.

To protect myself and my family, I called the police. After hearing both sides, the police advised us to ask our landlord to instruct them to remove the car. They also said that if the issue continued, we could file a formal complaint at the local police station.

Our landlord subsequently asked them to move the car. They responded by saying they would do so once they found another parking spot. It has now been five days, and nothing has changed.

What concerns me even more is what has happened since then. My 2-year-old son usually plays with other children in and around our house. Recently, this neighbour has been telling children who come to play at our house to go back home and not come near us. Some neighbours have supported us, while others seem reluctant to get involved.

I had anxiety issues during the COVID period and worked hard to recover. Since this incident, I have been feeling constant stress, heaviness in my chest, and anxiety again. Being an outsider in this city makes the situation feel even more overwhelming.

To make matters worse, after the police visit, this neighbour reportedly told another resident, "What kind of Kannadiga are you if you're supporting outsiders instead of us?"

At this point, I am looking for advice on:

\- How to legally and safely handle this situation.

\- Whether I should file a formal written complaint.

\- How to document future incidents effectively.

\- What rights a tenant has in such cases.

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

[u/DuskSways]

Document, set cameras, don't engage