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‘Is running a crime?’: Bengaluru run club member shares video of alleged police threats
Footage shows policemen confronting runners in Bengaluru, demanding they leave. Yang, a runner, criticized the officer's threatening behavior.
A video shared by an Instagram user has sparked debate over policing and public space use in Bengaluru’s Electronics City, after members of a local running group were allegedly confronted and threatened by the police during a Sunday morning run.
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Here is the video
The incident reportedly occurred in Phase 1 of Electronics City on July 21, when a group of runners from a club called “Run & Rave” were asked to leave the area by two policemen. One of the runners, an Instagram user named Yang, posted a video of the encounter, questioning the legality of running on public roads. “Is running illegal in India?” Yang asked in his caption. “Me along with friends were running in Electronics City Phase 1 and this is what happened.”
The footage shows two uniformed policemen approaching the runners, asking them to disperse. In one clip, a policeman is seen confronting a woman and demanding she leave the area. “Why are you still here when I told you to leave?” the officer is heard saying.
While initial reactions on social media suggested that the incident may have stemmed from a language barrier, Yang later clarified that the issue was far more serious. “This is not about language,” he said in a follow-up post. “It’s about how the cop behaved. He said things like ‘I will beat you’ and ‘I will kill you’—that’s not acceptable.” Yang also acknowledged a CISF personnel who stepped in to defuse the situation and help the runners.
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Despite the confrontation, Yang made it clear that the group would not be discouraged. “After everything that happened last week, we just want to say one thing, we’re not stopping. This Sunday, July 27, Run & Rave is back, with more energy, more community, and more good vibes,” he said. “We’re not here to fight. We’re here to move. To run together. To build something positive. If you’ve ever felt the joy of a morning run, this is your cue.”
The videos quickly gained traction on social media, with users expressing concern over the police’s behaviour. Several demanded accountability, urging the runners to file formal complaints under criminal intimidation laws if the officers were not part of the official police force.
However, the episode also drew criticism from some commuters, who alleged that the runners were blocking roads and causing inconvenience. One commenter wrote, “If they’re private guards and this happens again, file an FIR and press charges under BNS 141 for criminal intimidation.”
