Woman gang raped in Thota Bengre beach in Mangaluru, six arrested

The incident occurred on November 18 when a woman and her friend, both labourers, were at Bengre beach. According to the police, six local fishermen who saw them allegedly attacked the man and then raped the woman. 

Even though the incident occurred over a week ago, a complaint in connection with the incident was registered only on Monday. "The woman was initially unwilling to come forward and report the incident and she registered a complaint only on Monday," a police official told TNM. 

Police sources told TNM that the woman did not come forward to make the complaint until she was persuaded by the police. 

A case was registered at the Women's Police station in Pandeshwar in the city and the six fishermen involved in the incident were taken into custody. All six were produced in a Mangaluru court on Tuesday. 

"The fishermen attacked the man and then attempted to rape a woman at Bengre beach. The woman screamed for help and there was no one nearby when the incident occurred," a police official at the Women's Police station told TNM. 

In communally sensitive Mangaluru, questions were raised whether this incident was a case of moral policing by the locals who were unhappy that a man and woman from different faiths had gone to the beach together. However, TR Suresh, Mangaluru Police Commissioner confirmed to TNM that the incident had no communal link to it and that the couple were both from the same community.