Fishermen accused of violating lockdown, assaulted

A group has allegedly assaulted four fishermen near Bidari in Mudhol taluk saying that they were roaming around despite the lockdown order clamped to prevent the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

A video of the incident has gone viral. Hussain Sab, his son Hasim, Kiran and Rakesh, all fishermen of Mahalingapur, who had gone to Ghataprabha river near Bidari have been assaulted by a group which came on bikes near the river bride. The bikers beat them with a stick charging that they were spreading the infection to others, during the lockdown period. In the video, the bikers were seen threatening them after receiving their mobile phone numbers.

Meanwhile, SP Lokesh Jagalasar said that the police will not keep quiet if people take the law into their hands and spread hatred message on social media on the pretext of COVID-19.

He said the people can complain to the police if such incidents occur.