Four men arrested for assaulting man, harassing woman in moral policing case

According to police, the incident occurred when the man and the woman, who was wearing a burqa, were seated on a scooter and engaged in conversation.

Four men were arrested and a minor was booked in Bengaluru’s Chandra Layout for allegedly harassing and assaulting a young man in an incident of moral policing near a public park. The group reportedly targeted the victim over his interaction with a woman from a different community. Police said the minor accused is yet to be apprehended.

Four men arrested for assaulting man, harassing woman in moral policing case

According to police, the incident occurred when the man and the woman, who was wearing a burqa, were seated on a scooter and engaged in conversation. A group of five men approached them, began questioning the woman about her background and family, and then targeted the man, asking why he was spending time with someone from another faith. One of the accused also filmed the exchange, which was later shared widely on social media.

In the video, the accused are seen intimidating the man and making pointed comments about the woman’s attire and her presence with a man in public. Following the video’s circulation, the woman approached the police and filed a complaint.

“Based on the complaint, we registered a case and arrested four persons,” DCP S Girish said. “The arrested individuals are Mohammad Mohsin (22), a scrap dealer; Mohammad Mansoor (27), a tailor; Mohammad Afridi Pasha (28), and Waseem Khan (30), both welders.” The accused were produced before the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate court on Friday. One suspect, a minor, is yet to be taken into custody.

Reacting to the incident, Karnataka IT and BT Minister Priyank Kharge condemned the act and reiterated the state’s position against moral policing. “Such acts will not be tolerated. Karnataka is a progressive state and does not accept moral policing. These are not the values we stand for,” he said, contrasting the state’s stance with that of states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh.

Police said further investigation is underway to determine whether more individuals were involved in the incident.