Mangaluru, March 20: Karnataka police have launched a search for several activists involved in a case of ‘moral policing.’ On Thursday, authorities reported that a 17-year-old boy from a minority community was allegedly attacked and attempted to be abducted by a group during a temple fair in Ujire, located in Mangaluru district.
Superintendent of Police Arun stated that strict action will be taken against those who take the law into their own hands. A special team has been formed to identify the suspects, and CCTV footage from the area is currently under review.
According to police reports, the incident occurred on the evening of March 18 during the festival at the Shri Janardhana Swamy temple fair in the Beltangadi taluk. The boy was attending the fair with friends when he was surrounded by a group of young men.
The complaint alleges that the group questioned him, asking, “Are you taking girls to a lodge?” They reportedly used abusive language and physically assaulted him. It is also claimed that the assailants forced the boy to record a video on his mobile phone. Further details about the incident are still emerging.
Based on the victim’s complaint, the Beltangadi police have registered a case and initiated an investigation. Charges of wrongful confinement, assault, abduction, intentional insult, and criminal intimidation have been filed. Preliminary investigations suggest that the suspects are linked to a right-wing organization, Bajrang Dal. This incident has raised concerns about safety and law enforcement during public events in the region.
On February 19, Chikmagalur police detained three individuals under allegations of moral policing. They reportedly stopped a boy and a girl from different communities while they were returning from school on a motorcycle and questioned them. Following the family’s complaint, police registered a case and arrested the suspects—Niyaz, Tabrez, and Hanif.
On July 9, 2025, the Vitla police in Mangaluru district detained a man named Padmaraj in connection with a reported incident of moral policing. This occurred when the complainant’s minor brother was talking to a schoolmate at a private bus stand in Vitla.
In another incident on January 22, 2026, a group of Muslim youths allegedly attacked some Hindu youths during an ‘Urs’ procession in Bangarapet. Police arrested ten individuals in connection with this incident. The complaint was filed by Chandni, who alleged that the assailants attacked her and her Hindu friends, all of whom were with her and her brother Rafi.
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