Suspected moral policing: Two arrested for assaulting student in Mangaluru

On Saturday, the police arrested two persons — Dikshit Alpe, 32, and Llyod Pinto, 32, both residents of Mangaluru city — in connection with the incident. “It was a case of an altercation. Two persons have been arrested,” a senior police officer said.

According to the complaint, a gang followed the students’ group — two boys and four girls — after they left the Panambur Beach on Friday evening. The boys, who were from different communities to that of the girls, were stopped near the Bejai area and Hafeez was assaulted following an argument.

The incident occurred a day after Mangaluru Police said that a process had been initiated for the externment of three Bajrang Dal activists from Mangalore and Dakshina Kannada for “continuing to indulge in criminal activities”, including vigilantism or moral policing, despite signing bonds stating that they would stay away from such activities . The police said notices had been issued to Bajrang Dal activists Balachandra, Ganesh Attavar and Jaya Prashant to state reasons why they should not be externed.

Former minister and BJP leader from Dakshina Kannada region V Sunil Kumar has said that the party will take legal action over the externment notices issued to the Bajrang Dal activists. “We will initiate legal action,” he said.

Mangaluru Police said the three Bajrang Dal activists, who have a total of 17 criminal cases against them, had signed bonds under Section 107 of the Criminal Procedure Code before an executive magistrate (police commissioner or SP of a district) to “refrain from criminal activities and to maintain peace”.

“During the period of the bond these persons were involved in two crimes, and action has been taken for forfeiture of the security deposits for the bonds. There are also intelligence inputs that these persons are likely to continue with criminal activities and local police authorities have given reports recommending their externment from Mangaluru and Dakshina Kannada region,” Mangaluru Police said in a statement.

During the period of their bonds for “keeping the peace”, the Bajrang Dal activists allegedly assaulted a boy from a minority community at a jewellery shop on December 6, 2022, over an alleged relationship with a girl working at the store. They also allegedly disrupted Holi festivities in March this year over girls and boys from different communities mixing together at a party.
“Action is taken against criminals only on the basis of their criminal records and not on the basis of caste, religion or political affiliations,” the Mangaluru police stated on Friday.