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Woman, 2 men assaulted by mob in Bengaluru over public smoking, FIR filed after viral video
A group of local youths allegedly chased and attacked the victims standing outside a cafe, smashing their phones, in what social media users are calling an act of "moral policing".
A group of seven to eight local youths allegedly attacked the woman and the two men (Image generated using AI).
Acting on a viral video showing a group assaulting two men and a woman allegedly over public smoking, the DJ Halli police in Bengaluru Monday registered a suo motu case against unidentified people in connection with a late-night incident in Kanaka Nagar.
According to preliminary information, the incident occurred Sunday night when the trio was standing outside a cafe and smoking. A group of seven to eight local youths allegedly approached them and questioned their actions, leading to a verbal altercation.
The police said the argument quickly escalated, with the group allegedly chasing the victims onto the road and assaulting them, causing brief panic in the area. Sources indicated that the victims were attacked without any clear provocation beyond the initial confrontation.
During the incident, the assailants also allegedly smashed the victims’ mobile phones. CCTV footage from the area shows the group confronting the trio and physically attacking them. Police sources added that the woman accompanying the victims was also allegedly slapped, though she did not suffer serious injuries.
A video of the assault, recorded by a resident through the CCTV footage, later surfaced on social media and went viral, prompting the police to act despite no formal complaint being filed by the victims.
On social media, several users appeared to justify the assault, describing it as an act of “moral policing” against public smoking, even as police treated the incident as a case of violence.
Based on the footage, the DJ Halli police have begun efforts to identify those involved. Officers said they are examining CCTV visuals and other available evidence to establish the sequence of events and trace the accused. Further investigation is underway.
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