Father, son arrested for moral policing, caste abuse and assault on minors in Mangaluru
Mangaluru, : In yet another disturbing incident of moral policing, the Mangaluru South Police Station arrested a father and son for allegedly abusing, assaulting, and caste-abusing two minor students who were sitting near a railway track on the outskirts of the city. The incident occurred at Babugudde in Attavar, triggering serious concerns over rising cases of vigilantism and harassment of young people.
According to police, the accused have been identified as Steven Montero and his son Avil Montero. The two allegedly confronted a minor boy and girl who were sitting near the railway tracks and began recording them on their mobile phones. Police said the accused verbally abused the students using obscene language and physically assaulted the boy.
Authorities further stated that the accused allegedly made caste-based derogatory remarks against the boy, which led to additional charges under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The situation escalated when the accused not only assaulted the minors but also recorded and circulated the video on social media, allegedly attempting to publicly shame and intimidate them.
Following the circulation of the video, officials from the Karnataka Police took swift action after receiving a complaint from the victims. Based on the complaint, a case was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Both accused were subsequently arrested and taken into custody.
Police officials said the investigation is ongoing and further legal action will be taken based on the findings. Authorities are also examining the viral video and gathering additional evidence related to the incident.
The incident has once again highlighted growing concerns over moral policing, where individuals take the law into their own hands and harass others under the pretext of enforcing personal or social morality. Such actions are considered illegal and punishable under law, especially when they involve minors and caste-based abuse.
In a separate incident reflecting a similar pattern, a young couple travelling in a private sleeper bus in Bengaluru allegedly faced harassment from a bus conductor. Despite being adults and holding valid tickets, the conductor reportedly prevented them from sitting together and threatened to inform their parents or the police, raising fresh questions about individual freedoms and unlawful interference.
Police officials have reiterated that taking the law into one’s own hands is a criminal offence, and strict action will be taken against anyone involved in moral policing, harassment, or caste-based discrimination.
