Bengaluru artist in trouble after posting controversial ‘F**k the police’ tattoo on Instagram: Report

Ritesh Aghariya, a Bengaluru tattoo artist, is in legal trouble after sharing a photo on Instagram of a tattoo with the phrase “F**k the police".

Published on: Jul 20, 2024, 09:20:47 IST

By Yamini C S

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A tattoo artist in Bengaluru has found himself in legal hot water after posting a photo on Instagram that has drawn significant backlash from the city's police force. Ritesh Aghariya, the owner of Tattoo Sutra studio, is now under investigation following the upload of an image that depicted a client with a provocative tattoo reading “F**k the police” emblazoned across his chest, according to a India Today report.

The Bengaluru-based tattoo artist confessed to posting the photo and clarified that the tattoo was requested by a foreign client. (X)

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The incident began when an observant social media user spotted the controversial tattoo and alerted the Bengaluru Police through their official X (formerly Twitter) account. The post quickly gained traction online, leading to a formal complaint filed against Aghariya. In response, the Cubbon Park police station initiated a suo motu case—a legal action taken by the authorities on their own accord — against the tattoo artist, the report stated.

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Following the complaints on social media, the Bengaluru Police sought and obtained authorization from a magistrate court to formally charge Aghariya. The First Information Report (FIR) against him includes a mention of an X user, Tilak Theja, with the handle TilakSadive, who brought the issue to the attention of the police.

See the X post here:

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Aghariya has since confessed to posting the photo and clarified that the tattoo was requested by a foreign client who visited his studio. As a result of the ongoing investigation, Aghariya is facing legal charges under Section 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, which pertains to intentional insult with the aim of provoking a breach of peace.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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