Moral policing in Dakshina Kannada: Inter-faith couple waylaid, man attacked

The man was driving his autorickshaw, accompanied by a woman, from Uppinangady to Gundya on the Mangaluru-Bengaluru National Highway

In yet another incident of ‘moral policing’ in Dakshina Kannada, a group of persons allegedly assaulted a Muslim youth who was driving his autorickshaw and was accompanied by a woman, at Derane under Siribagilu village in Kadaba taluk on Gundya-Kukke Subrahmanya Road on April 5.

Police have taken into custody two of the accused Balachandra, 35, son of Sanjeeva Gowda; and Ranjith, 31, son of Honnappa Gowda. Both accused are residents of Siribagilu village. Other accused have been named as Surendra, Tirtha Prasad and Jitesh.

Police said that Nazeer, 21, of Sampya, Aryapu village in Puttur taluk, was driving his autorickshaw, accompanied by a woman, from Uppinangady to Gundya on the Mangaluru-Bengaluru National Highway.

Around 12.15 p.m., they were stopped by the group of accused who demanded to know their names. On learning that the driver was a Muslim and the woman a Hindu, the group allegedly assaulted the driver, police said.

Uppinangady police have registered a case against the accused under Sections 143, 147, 341, 504, 323, 324, 506 and Section 153 read with 149 of the Indian Penal Code.