Mon Jan 13 15:08:09 UTC 2025: ## Mangaluru Police Dismiss Communal Incident Reports; Alcohol-Fueled Altercation Confirmed
**Mangaluru, January 14, 2025** – Mangaluru City Police have refuted social media reports of a communal incident in Kodi Bengre on Sunday night. In a statement released Monday, police clarified that the incident involved an altercation between two groups from the same community.
The incident began when one group, including Venkatesh, Karthik, Santosh, Saif, Dhanush, and Prajwal, were consuming alcohol and smoking near Ganesh Katte in Tannirbhavi. A confrontation arose after Preetham and Sanveet from another group requested a cigarette lighter and were refused. This led to Karthik being injured by a beer bottle. The situation escalated when five individuals supporting Preetham and Sanveet assaulted the other group with wooden sticks.
Both groups have filed counter-complaints at the Panambur police station under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including those related to assault and public disorder. The police statement emphasizes that the incident was not of a communal nature, contrary to initial social media claims.
First Piper 