Sat Mar 15 16:25:49 UTC 2025: ## Mangaluru Court Acquits 19 in 2015 Assault Case
**Mangaluru, Karnataka, March 15, 2025** – A Mangaluru court delivered a controversial verdict on Saturday, acquitting all 19 accused in a high-profile assault case dating back to August 24, 2015. The accused, allegedly affiliated with right-wing groups, were charged with stripping and assaulting a 30-year-old man, Shakir Ali, after tying him to an electric pole in Attavar.
The incident stemmed from Mr. Ali’s encounter with a female colleague who had requested money. According to the chargesheet, while giving her the money, he was attacked by a group of men who beat him, tore his clothes, and tied him to a pole. The attack involved the use of rods, helmets, and stones.
The 19 acquitted individuals faced a range of charges under the Indian Penal Code, including criminal conspiracy, rioting, wrongful restraint, assault, attempt to murder, and dacoity. Despite 19 witnesses, including the victim himself, testifying before the court, First Additional District and Sessions Judge H.S. Mallikarjuna Swamy found the prosecution’s case lacking.
The acquittal has sparked outrage among many who view the case as emblematic of religious intolerance and violence. The victim, a sales supervisor from a minority community, was reportedly targeted for being seen with a colleague from a different community. The verdict is likely to reignite debate about religious harmony and the enforcement of justice in the region.
First Piper 