Youth abducted, thrashed, stripped for befriending Hindu girl in Dakshina Kannada

MANGALURU: In yet another case of 'moral policing', a 20-year-old Muslim boy was stripped and brutally assaulted by a group of ten unknown persons at Subramanya in Dakshina Kannada on Thursday evening. 

The victim, Afidh, a resident of Kallugundi in Sullia taluk was in the company of a 17-year-old Hindu girl when the incident happened. The youth had reportedly befriended the girl on Instagram.

The minor, a student of a college at Subramanya, used to meet Afidh at the Subramanya bus stand and they were being observed by a few people in the past. On Thursday, unknown individuals arrived on a jeep and abducted Afidh to an old building, while he had been conversing with the minor girl at the bus stop. 

Afidh was allegedly stripped and brutally assaulted by 10 to 12 people at the building. They also threatened him not to be in the company of Hindu girls and stole his mobile phone and purse.

Some of the attackers had worn t-shirts with the college name 'SSSPU'. Based on the victim's complaint, the district police have booked the attackers for an attempt to murder. 

Meanwhile, the minor's father lodged a complaint alleging that Afidh had forced his daughter to get into a relationship. Afidh has been now booked under the POCSO act.

Dakshina Kannada district superintendent of police Rishikesh Sonawane told TNIE that attackers will be arrested soon and whether the attackers belong to any outfit is yet to be ascertained.