‘Moral policing’ incident in Udupi leads to arrest of one person

In a complaint to Kundapura police on April 10, a woman wrote that, after finishing her examinations on April 8, her 15-year-old daughter had accompanied three classmates, all boys belonging to another community, to Manipal.

Kundapura police arrested one person for allegedly assaulting a minor boy and abusing a minor girl, who were returning to their hometown after a visit to Manipal, on April 8. The police gave the name of the arrested person as Mahesh.

In a complaint to Kundapura police on April 10, the girl’s mother said her 15-year-old daughter, after finishing her examinations on April 8, had accompanied three classmates, all boys belonging to another community, to Manipal. While returning, they boarded a private bus in Udupi. Mahesh was following the children. The children got down at Shastri Circle in Kundapura and were waiting for a bus towards Shirur.

Around 7 p.m., Mahesh came to the bus stop and confronted the three boys. After knowing the community to which the boys belong, Mahesh allegedly abused them and assaulted one of them. When the others tried to stop the assault, Mahesh questioned the girl and abused her in public for being in the company of classmates from anther community.

He threatened to kill the girl if she persisted with such behaviour, the girl’s mother alleged.

She sought action against Mahesh for creating discord among communities and provoking breach of peace.

The police registered her complaint under Sections 126(2) (wrongful restraint), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 351 (2) (criminal intimidation) and 353(2) (statements conducive to public mischief) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and Section 75 of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act. They arrested Mahesh.

Superintendent of Police K. Arun said the girl’s mother visited the police station on April 11, along with Byndoor MLA Gururaj Gantihole and his supporters, and filed a compliant against the three boys. As the boys are minors, no complaint was registered against them. However, her compliant was received as a petition, and further legal action will be taken, Dr. Arun said in a video statement.