Intro
A minor dispute over a document getting burnt in a lamination machine at a shop in Darbe escalated into a physical altercation, prompting the police to intervene
CH NEWS
MANGALURU
The police have issued a stern warning against attempts to give the incident a communal colour and have booked two individuals for spreading provocative messages and calling for a bandh on social media.
According to a police media release, the issue began when a technical snag in a lamination machine damaged a customer’s document. Instead of resolving the matter peacefully or approaching consumer forums, the customer allegedly behaved aggressively with a shop worker. The shop owner, Akshatha Rai, also identified as Anjana Pai, intervened, which led to a further altercation.
During the commotion, an individual named Sudarshan Pai assaulted another person who was attempting to record the incident on his mobile phone. Video footage of the sequence of events is available with the authorities.
The police subsequently took Sudarshan Pai into custody. However, the situation remained tense as some individuals behaved aggressively near the police vehicle. A person identified as Naushad was reportedly seen reaching inside the vehicle. Sudarshan’s father, Sadhashiv Pai, who was inside the vehicle at the time, will be questioned to ascertain the exact sequence of events, police stated.
The police revealed that several individuals involved in the incident have criminal backgrounds. Sudarshan Pai has previous cases against him, including an attempt to murder and drug peddling. Both Naushad and Sadhashiv Pai have a history of assault in road rage incidents. Additionally, two other individuals present at the scene also have prior criminal cases.
The Puttur Town police have registered cases against two individuals for inciting unrest. An individual using the WhatsApp account ‘Dinesh Panjiga’ has been booked under sections 353(2), 57, and 189 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for allegedly spreading messages that incite religious enmity, instil fear among the public, and for calling a bandh to provoke an unlawful assembly.
BOX
In a related development, a second FIR has been registered at the Puttur Town police station against a person operating the Facebook account ‘Sanjeeva Matandoor’. He has been booked under the same sections of the BNS for broadcasting similar messages on social media aimed at disrupting religious harmony, creating public panic, and instigating people to form an unlawful assembly through a bandh call. Further investigation is underway.
