Bajrang Dal Link in Karnataka’s Latest Moral Policing Assault Case

A disturbing moral policing episode unfolded at Mangaluru’s Ujire fairgrounds on March 18, where a 17-year-old from the minority community endured a brutal mob attack and abduction bid by alleged Bajrang Dal affiliates. The Sri Janardhana Swamy Temple event in Belthangady taluk turned nightmarish as the boy, with friends, was singled out.

Confronted with sleazy innuendos about girls in lodges, he suffered slurs, thrashes, and forcible removal. The group made him record a damning video on his phone, amplifying the humiliation.

District SP KE Arun declared war on vigilantes: ‘No mercy for self-styled enforcers.’ A task force is dissecting CCTV, chasing leads on the culprits.

Belthangady station logged charges of assault, abduction, insults, and threats. This joins a notorious roster: Chikkamagaluru’s February 19 trio—Niyaz, Tabrez, Hanif—busted for hassling a biking inter-community couple.

July 9, 2025, saw Vittal arrest Padmaraj for bus stand meddling with a minor’s conversation. Bangarpet’s January 22, 2026, Urs violence led to 10 arrests after Chandni’s assault claim involving her brother Rafi and friends with a Muslim girl.

These cases spotlight systemic failures in curbing moral patrols, especially at melas and processions. Stakeholders call for intelligence-led interventions, youth awareness drives, and stricter prosecutions. Only through vigilant policing and societal vigilance can Karnataka reclaim its secular ethos, ensuring no child fears cultural joy.