Adding to the series of “moral policing” incidents in Karnataka’s coastal belt, Mangaluru South Police on Tuesday, November 28, arrested two youths on charges of waylaying, harassing and questioning a man and a woman belonging to different religions for travelling together on a motorbike in the city on November 27.
Police gave the names of the arrested youths as Akshay Rao and Shibin Padikal.
Police said that the interfaith duo were riding on a motorbike from Milagres Church side towards Bhagini Samaja, when the accused waylaid and questioned them at about 8 p.m. on November 27. The victims worked together in a sports shop at Mulihitlu in Mangaluru. After completing their duty at the shop, they were heading towards Bhagini Samaja after getting a mobile repaired when the accused waylaid, harassed and questioned them for being together. On learning about the incident, police reached the spot and took the victims to the police station where the woman filed a complaint.
Police booked a case against the accused under Section 341 (wrongful restraint) and Section 354 (B) r/w 34 (assaulting or using criminal force to any woman or abets such act with the intention of disrobing).
Moral policing incidents in 2023
This is the 12th incident of “moral policing” reported from Dakshina Kannada and Udupi during 2023. Of them, 11 cases were reported from Dakshina Kannada and one from Udupi district.
On August 21, Moodbidri police had arrested three persons for allegedly assaulting a 19-year-old Muslim youth for speaking to his classmates from another religion while they were waiting in Moodbidri bus stand to board a bus to Bengaluru. The incident reported in Mangaluru city on November 27 is the lastest one.
Earlier, Dinesh Gundu Rao, minister in-charge of Dakshina Kannada and Minister for Health and Family Welfare, had accused the rightwing groups of indulging in “moral policing” with an intention to tarnish the image of Dakshina Kannada.
