Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (CLP)

Mangaluru, Aug 25: The police have reportedly arrested 15 persons said to belonging to right-wing outfits for stripping and assault of a man in full public view at Attavar here on Monday August 24.



File Photo

Shabbir (name changed) was tied to an electricity pole, stripped and thrashed by a group of right-wing activists, who claimed that he was in a car with a girl belonging to a different community. Shabbir was later hospitalized.

The police swung into action and initially detained four persons, and as per sources, have arrested 15.

It is also learnt that the girl has filed a complaint against Shabbir alleging that he was 'blackmailing' her.

However, Shabbir had said that he had only gone to give some money to the girl, and he was sitting in the car while she was standing outside.

The attackers thrashed, stripped him and paraded him through the crowded area before tying him to an electricity pole, sources said. The mob allegedly also humiliated the girl when she tried to intervene. The images were circulated on WhatsApp and the police arrived when the visuals were flashed on local cable channels.

Speaking to daijiworld, the victim's father said that his son had done nothing wrong. "My son is the manager of a supermarket and the girl is an employee there. He was at registrar's office till 4.45 pm on Monday, as he had to complete registration of a property. The girl called him on phone and asked for Rs 2,000. My son withdrew the money from the ATM and went to meet the girl to give the money, when they pulled him out of the car and assaulted him.

"This is a conspiracy by two-three people against my son. Someone must have told the girl to call him and make him come to the spot on the pretext of wanting money. She has been forced to file a complaint against him," he added.

He thanked the police for their quick action and said, "If the police had not come on time, they would have murdered my son. The police have been very supportive and assured us that the culprits would be arrested soon."