Daijiworld Media Network - Belagavi
Belagavi, Mar 17: In a disturbing case of moral policing, Karnataka police arrested four individuals on Monday while launching a search for two more absconding suspects in Belagavi district.
The incident occurred a few days ago within the jurisdiction of the Belagavi Rural Police Station. The victim, Allauddin Pirzade, a resident of Savagaon village, was reportedly assaulted for speaking to a Hindu girl on the village outskirts. The arrested individuals have been identified as Satish Jadhav, Sumit, Veeresh, and another accomplice.
According to the police, the attackers not only beat up Allauddin but also issued threats, warning him of severe consequences if he was seen interacting with the girl again. Following the assault, Allauddin arrived at the police station in tattered clothes and filed a complaint, seeking protection. Investigations are underway, and more details are expected to emerge.
This incident adds to a growing list of moral policing cases in Karnataka. In Mangaluru, on January 24, a local court remanded 14 individuals in judicial custody until February 7 after they attacked a massage parlour, alleging illicit activities. The accused, associated with the right-wing group Rama Sene, vandalized the establishment, leading to police intervention.
Meanwhile, Karnataka witnessed another shocking case of moral vigilantism in March 2024, when a gang-rape incident in Hangal, Haveri district, sent shockwaves across the state. The Karnataka Police have filed an 873-page charge sheet in the Hangal JMFC Court, listing 19 accused, including seven directly responsible for the sexual assault.
The victim, a homemaker from a minority community, released a harrowing video on January 11, revealing that she had been repeatedly raped by vigilantes. She was allegedly dragged out of a hotel on January 8 for being in the company of a person from another religion. A group of five to six men forcibly abducted her, took her to a secluded location, subjected her to brutal physical assault, and later gang-raped her.
These incidents underscore the rising threat of moral policing in Karnataka, sparking widespread outrage and raising concerns over law enforcement and communal harmony in the state.