Court acquits all 39 accused in 2012 Mangaluru homestay attack

According to sources, 11 out of 13 witnesses turned hostile which led to the failure of prosecution to prove guilt. “Whoever appeared as witness also had failed to identify the assaulters which turned out to be a big jolt in the case,” said a police officer.

The police arrested 44 people, including journalists Naveen Soorinje and Sharan Raj, in connection with the Mangaluru homestay attack. While Sooringe was acquitted in January 2018, three accused died during the trial and one minor was acquitted by the Juvenile Justice Board.

What is the Mangaluru homestay attack case?

On July 28, 2012, a gang claiming to be members of Hindu Jagarana Vedike had allegedly assaulted 14 college students, including five girls, attending a birthday party of their friend at Morning Mist, a homestay in Mangaluru. The Hindu Jagarana Vedike members claimed that the students were involved in rave parties and “some indecent activities”.

The students were allegedly beaten, stripped, and molested by the gang of Hindu Jagaran Vedike. The victims also alleged that the members of Vedike tore their clothes and misbehaved with them as the attack was captured by a media house and telecast.

The incident came three years after the Mangaluru pub attack of 2009 where men and women were attacked by Sri Rama Sene made national headlines.

The then BJP-led government in Karnataka, which came under the fire of pro-Hindu activists, appointed senior IPS officer Bipin Gopalkrishna to monitor the probe.

Contrary to the claims of the right-wing activists, the officer said there was no use of drugs or any other indecent behaviour at the party. However, the then Karnataka State Women’s Commission chairperson C Manjula said in her report that it was a rave party and the police tried to hush up the case, sparking protests in the region that led to the closure of schools and colleges in Mangaluru.