Three held over assault of Muslim youth in Karnataka

Three people have been arrested in connection with the recent moral policing incident at Dharmasthala in Dakshina Kannada district in which a Muslim auto rickshaw driver was assaulted by right-wing activists allegedly for carrying a Hindu girl in his vehicle.

The arrested have been identified as Avinash (26), Sandeep (20) of Dharmasthala and Akshath (22) of Uppinangady. All three have been produced before the court and remanded to judicial custody, police sources said, adding search is on for one more accused in the case.

Also Read | Moral policing? Muslim auto driver assaulted in Karnataka

The incident occurred on August 2 at around 9 pm when the driver Mohammad Ashique (22) had dropped a Hindu girl at the bus stand. The girl, studying at a private college at Ujire, had called the auto-rickshaw to go to the nearby stand.

The driver was attacked and threatened by four men when he was returning after dropping the girl. He later got admitted to Belthangady government hospital and lodged a complaint with the police.