Moral policing: Inter-faith college students harassed in Agumbe Karnataka

In a complaint to the police, the girl’s brother said his sister had gone to Agumbe with her college mate, who is from another community, on the latter’s motorcycle. While they were returning, a group of right-wing activists waylaid the motorcycle. They allegedly abused the girl for going out with a person from another community, and harassed her. The alleged harassment was recorded by one of the activists on his mobile phone.

A group of right-wing activists allegedly harassed and abused two inter-faith college students from Kaup taluk in Udupi district of Karnataka when the duo were returning after visiting a water fall in Agumbe in Shivamogga district on August 22. A case was registered at Kaup police station on September 22, after one of the activists revealed the alleged harassment on social media.

In a complaint to the police, the girl’s brother said his sister had gone to Agumbe with her college mate, who is from another community, on the latter’s motorcycle. While they were returning, a group of right-wing activists waylaid the motorcycle. They allegedly abused the girl for going out with a person from another community, and harassed her. The alleged harassment was recorded by one of the activists on his mobile phone.

Following the complaint, the Kapu police registered a case for offences punishable under Sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 341 (wrongful restraint), 505(2) (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred between classes), 354D (stalking) read with Section 149 of the Indian Penal Code.

“Further action will be taken as per the law,” Udupi Superintendent of Police K. Arun told The Hindu. No one has been arrested so far.

The alleged harassment in Agumbe is the first incident of moral policing reported in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts in September 2023. Since January 2023, a total of 12 moral policing incidents have been reported in the twin districts of which eight were reported since July, after the Congress took charge of the government of Karnataka.

Responding to the increase in moral policing incidents in the coastal belt, Minister in charge of Dakshina Kannada Dinesh Gundu Rao went on record earlier that communal forces were doing it intentionally to tarnish the image of the Congress government, and to project an increase in incidents after the Congress took over. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Home Minister G. Parameshwara too had gone on record warning that such incidents will be dealt with sternly.