Karnataka HC slams state, police for mob assault on mentally ill youth

The Karnataka High Court has strongly criticised the state government and police over the alleged mob assault of a 19-year-old mentally unsound youth in Chamarajanagar district, thehansindia.com reports. Justice M. Nagaprasanna, hearing a petition from the youth’s father, made oral observations questioning the rule of law, saying, “Is this rule of law… the State is in anarchy.” The court was shown photographs of the incident, in which local residents allegedly stripped the youth naked, tied him to an electric pole, and assaulted him before police rescued him.

The youth had been accused of damaging the lighting on a signboard bearing a portrait of Dr B. R. Ambedkar. Police registered a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for deliberate acts intended to outrage religious feelings and mischief causing property damage, and also under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The High Court had earlier directed police not to take coercive action against the youth. During the hearing, the court was told that a Superintendent of Police was caught on camera threatening the youth with externment proceedings and warning of annual FIRs. The judge remarked that the SP had no business to speak that way. The matter remains under consideration.