Melparamba police have apprehended four individuals in connection with an assault on a group of six holidayers – comprising three females and three males – who were returning from a birthday celebration at Bekal Fort. The incident appears to be a troubling case of moral policing.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Abdul Manzoor T A (41) from Kalnad, Abdul Khader Afeeq K (37) from Chemnad, Mohammed Nizar (38) from Chattanchal, and Arif B K (32) from Deli in Chemnad panchayat.
According to the police, the first two accused had previously faced charges of theft, while the third accused had been involved in a narcotics case and drunk driving incident.
The unfortunate incident unfolded when the group of travellers stopped at a restaurant in Melparamba, which is approximately 10km away from Bekal Fort, due to the rain. It was at this point that they were harassed and attacked by a group of men.
The circumstances leading up to the assault were related to a birthday celebration. The birthday boy, who had just turned 18, had invited his female classmate, along with her 17-year-old friend, for the celebration at Bekal Fort. The birthday boy’s male friend also joined them, and they all traveled together by bus from Kasaragod town to Bekal.
On their return journey, the birthday boy’s elder brother and his fiancé picked them up in their car. However, upon stopping at the restaurant in Melparamba, they hesitated to get out due to the rain, which triggered questioning and harassment from the group of men.
The situation escalated further when one of the women confronted the men, leading to her and a man from the group being physically attacked.
Based on the complaint filed by the travellers, the police have charged the four accused with various offenses, including assaulting women with the intent to outrage their modesty (section 354 of the IPC), criminal intimidation (section 506 of IPC), obscene acts (section 294 (B) of IPC), unlawful assembly (section 143), rioting (section 147), wrongful detention (section 341), and voluntarily causing hurt (section 325).
Section 354 carries a potential punishment of up to five years in prison. The authorities are taking the matter seriously and investigating further to ensure justice is served for the victims.
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