'Have Any Shame?' Couple, Sitting On Scooter In Bengaluru, Assaulted

A couple was harassed and assaulted by five men outside a park in Bengaluru, officials said on Friday. The incident, captured on camera, took place when the couple was sitting on a scooter outside the park, facing each other.

The video shows the man, wearing an orange t-shirt, and the woman, wearing a burqa, in a heated exchange with some men, one of whom is seen filming a video of the woman. The men demand to know from the woman whether her family knows where she is. They then ask the man why he was hanging out with a woman of a different faith and abuse the couple.

In the footage, the group of men also threaten the woman and ask whether she "has any shame" sitting with a man, wearing a burqa.

"The couple was sitting on a scooter when five people questioned them. The girl was wearing a burqa. We have received a complaint from the woman based on which we have registered a case....We are continuing our investigation," Girish, Deputy Commissioner of Police, said.

While the police denied any violence in the incident, another video shows the accused men surrounding the man and hitting him with what seems like a wooden log.

Based on the woman's complaint, the police arrested the five accused - which included a juvenile.

"They mainly asked the woman why she was sitting there. We will find out more during investigation," police officer Girish said.

Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge said the government would "not tolerate" any moral policing in the state. "This is not a Bihar or Uttar Pradesh or Madhya Pradesh. Karnataka is a progressive state," he said.