The Mangaluru Sixth Additional District and Sessions Court delivered a verdict on Tuesday acquitting 40 individuals who were accused in the 2012 Mangaluru homestay attack case. The court’s decision was based on insufficient evidence to substantiate the charges against the accused.
The attack, which occurred on July 28, 2012, was carried out by members of the Hindu Jagaran Vedike at the Morning Mist homestay in Padil, Mangaluru. The assault targeted a birthday party attended by young men and women. Following the incident, the Mangaluru Rural Police had filed a charge-sheet against 44 individuals, alleging that the attack was led by Hindutva leader Subhash Padil. Padil claimed that the individuals at the party were engaging in immoral activities under the influence of alcohol.
The attack resulted in severe allegations, including the stripping of women and the assault of at least 12 individuals. In the aftermath, two video journalists were also arrested. However, the government led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah later withdrew the charges against one of the journalists, leading to his acquittal in 2018.
During the trial, three of the accused passed away, and the charges against a journalist were dropped. The State Women’s Commission had previously investigated the incident, submitting a report that recommended a probe by a higher-ranked officer due to the ‘police failure’ and the severity of the attack.
Despite these recommendations and the gravity of the accusations, the court found the evidence insufficient to convict the remaining accused, leading to their acquittal.
