Delivery boys assault burkha-clad woman, male friend over ‘interfaith interaction’ in Bengaluru

In yet another disturbing case of moral policing, a burkha-clad woman and her male friend were allegedly assaulted by a group of delivery boys in Bengaluru's Chandra Layout. The assault, reportedly triggered by the duo’s interfaith interaction, has led to the arrest of four young men, including two minors.

The incident occurred on Wednesday near a local park, where the woman and her friend were seated on a scooter. The accused delivery executives confronted the pair, questioned them aggressively, and objected to their interaction. According to police officials, the situation escalated quickly, leading to a physical assault on both the woman and the man.

The group reportedly filmed the entire attack and circulated the video on social media, causing widespread outrage. Following the viral video, the police initiated a swift investigation and traced the accused. Based on the woman's complaint, a case was filed under sections relating to assault and criminal intimidation.

Two of the accused were confirmed to be minors, and all four were taken into custody. Authorities have also launched a probe to find out if more people were involved in the act or its online dissemination.

This incident has reignited public concern over rising instances of moral policing in Karnataka, particularly targeting interfaith friendships and relationships. In 2023, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar had explicitly warned against such vigilantism and directed the police to ensure communal harmony.

Deputy CM Shivakumar had stated, “No moral policing will be encouraged in Karnataka. We will promote friendly policing.” The recent attack puts that policy to test, with the state now under pressure to act decisively and ensure justice is served.