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Karnataka: Interfaith couple assaulted by mob
An interfaith couple were assaulted and threatened by a group of Muslim men in Chikkaballapura town on Wednesday
Despite chief minister Siddaramaiah’s stern warning against moral policing, a group of Muslim men in Chikkaballapura town threatened an interfaith couple on Wednesday.
The incident unfolded when the couple went out for a meal. The miscreants confronted the couple and made a video, which they threatened to publish on the internet.
According to eyewitnesses, a group of young men approached the hotel where the couple was seated and began assaulting them for being together. As the couple exited the establishment, the group interrogated and attempted to assault them. The 22-year-old woman was subjected to questions about her religious background and her relationship with a man from the Hindu community. The situation escalated as the mob hurled abuses and made derogatory remarks towards both the individuals.
The young woman confronted the miscreants, refusing to be intimidated or humiliated. In a video circulating on social media, she can be seen expressing her anger at being verbally attacked and asserting that such behaviour is unacceptable. The man accompanying the woman also faced verbal abuse during the incident.
Initially pressured by the assailants, the woman was coerced into apologizing on camera, falsely admitting her mistake and vowing not to repeat it. The young man was compelled to declare that everyone present around was his brother and sister.
The incident occurred on May 23, just a day after chief minister Siddaramaiah’s meeting with senior police officers, during which he directed them to take decisive action against moral policing. He sternly warned that failure to do so would result in the district commissioner of police (DCP) and superintendent of police (SP) being held accountable.
When contacted, Chikkaballapura SP B Nagesh confirmed that the police department became aware of the incident through social media. Authorities have since reached out to the victims, encouraging them to file a formal complaint.
As the young woman had travelled to Bengaluru and is expected to return to Chikkaballapura soon, the police assured that a case would be registered promptly upon receiving the complaint.
“We voluntarily contacted the victims and persuaded the victims to file a complaint. As the girl had been to Bengaluru and would return Chikkaballapura tomorrow (Friday). We got in touch and would register a case soon after receiving the complaint,” said the officer.
When asked about whether the police identified the accused, he said: “The video is not clear, however, we will find out the accused.”
