3 Dalit minors tied to flagpole, assaulted in Karnataka; 8 held

According to police, the attack was triggered by allegations that the boys had sent obscene messages to a girl from an upper-caste community.

Three Dalit minor boys were allegedly tied to a flagpole and brutally assaulted by a mob of upper-caste villagers in Harogeri village under the Naragund police station limits in Karnataka's Gadag district. The assault, which took place on May 28, surfaced only after videos began circulating on social media, triggering widespread outrage.

Naragund police inspector B Manjunath said that the incident was "triggered by obscene messages sent by the minor boys". (Representative Image/Getty Images)

According to police, the attack was triggered by allegations that the boys had sent obscene messages to a girl from an upper-caste community. Using this as justification, a mob of around 60 people allegedly tied the boys to a gram panchayat flagpole and beat them with ropes, sticks, and slippers. The attack left the boys with serious injuries and swelling across their bodies.

“The incident was triggered by obscene messages sent by the minor boys, who belong to the Dalit community,” Naragund police inspector B Manjunath told Hindustan Times. “We registered a case under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and BNS provisions on May 30 and have arrested eight persons so far. Many accused are absconding, but we arrested four more on Friday and are continuing our efforts to trace the remaining suspects.” A separate POCSO case has also been registered against 30 people in connection with the incident, police said.

The brutality didn’t stop with the assault. According to the families of the victims, when they attempted to intervene, they were threatened and chased away by members of the dominant caste. “Untouchability is still very much alive in our village,” one of the victim’s parents told HT. “This incident is just another example of the discrimination we face every day.”

Adding to the tragedy, one of the assaulted minors, overwhelmed by shame and trauma, attempted suicide by consuming poison. He was rushed to KIMS Hospital in Hubballi, where he remains in critical condition.

While a case was eventually registered at the Naragund police station, local sources indicated that there were initial efforts to suppress the complaint, with some community leaders reportedly pushing for a compromise. It was only after the visuals went viral online that authorities moved to take formal action.