Moral policing: Eight arrested in Mangalore for attacking revellers

Mangalore city police has arrested eight and are on lookout for seven others in connection with attack on a group of revellers at a birthday party at Morning Mist Home Stay at Padil on the outskirts of the city on Saturday night.

The accused, police said are followers of Subash Padil, self-confessed Hindu Jagaran Vedike leader who by his admission to police went to protest against 'immoral activities' there and his boys got carried away.

The mob numbering around 15 to 20 attacked the revellers - 13 in all, including eight men and five women - students of three educational institutions when they were in the process of winding up and leaving the home stay premises around 6.30pm, Bipin Gopalkrishna, ADGP (Law and Order) said on Sunday. "This was a birthday party, and not rave party," he said adding police found few beer bottles, soft drinks and food packet parcels.

Attackers had left the premises by the time police got information of the incident and they ran in to the locals who had gathered at the spot on rumours that a rave party was going on there. Police resorted to mild cane charge to disperse the locals as they had blocked the entrance and were not allowing revellers to be taken away and also insisting they be allowed to inspect the home stay to confirm their doubts about illegal activities going, he noted.

Naming those arrested who are residents of various areas of the city, he said stringent sections such as dacoity, outraging modesty of woman have been slapped on the attackers. "The entire State government right from the Chief Minister to the last police constable in the department has taken the incident seriously and all accused in this case would be booked," he said.

Police department is also looking at role of reporters of Kasturi Channel and Sahay TV, whom Bipin felt had prior information of the 'raid' on the home stay and for not informing the police. Southern TV channels beamed the attack on youth and girls by the attackers.

Images showed scared girls in skimpy clothes being held by neck and pulled by hair.

"We are looking if they were there for commission of a cognisable offense or for professional reasons. Lapses on part of police officials for not reacting to warning given to them about the impending raid on the home stay too would be probed," he said.

Soon after news about the attack spread, women organisations and opposition parties hit out at the culprits and also the BJP government. The incident also sparked off protests by various groups — both in support of and against the Hindu Jagarana Vedike (HJV), forcing police to use mildlathicharge to disperse the agitating groups.

- Asian Tribune -