18 March,2009 07:48 AM IST | | Imran Gowhar
Five college students, out on a college project in Puttur, were dragged out of a bus and beaten up by the moral police who mistook them for lovers.
The incident occurred on Tuesday when a group claiming to be the moral police stopped a Mangalore-bound college bus, dragged three boys out and allegedly beat them up.
The attackers thought the boys were moving around with girls from a different community. However, the group realised its mistake when the boys identified themselves as Vishal, Roshan, Vishwas, Zeena and Kavya who had gone to Puttur as part of a college project.
Meanwhile, another group came to the students' rescue. Heated arguments led to a clash and a few shops and vehicles were damaged in the stone-pelting that took place. The violence abated only after the police reached the spot.
The victims were taken to hospital for treatment and later filed a police complaint.
Police suspect some mischief-mongers to have informed the moral cops about the students who were moving around the town.
Additional police have been deployed in and around Puttur and some suspects have been picked up for questioning.
