Mangaluru, Feb 26: Mangaluru South Police have registered a case against two individuals on charges of alleged “immoral policing,” assault and criminal intimidation involving a 14-year-old boy who was reportedly speaking with his schoolmate near a railway track close to Grama Sangha in Babugudde.

The accused have been identified as Steven Monteiro and his son, Avil. According to Commissioner of Police Sudheer Kumar Reddy CH, a case has been registered based on a complaint filed by the minor’s family, and both suspects have been brought to the police station for inquiry.

Police said the incident occurred on February 23, but the boy’s parent approached the police on the evening of February 25 after a video of the incident began circulating on social media. Following this, an FIR was registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) — Sections 126(2), 115(2), 352, 351(1) and 79 — along with Sections 3(1)(r) and 3(1)(s) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

In his complaint, Janardhan, the father of the minor, stated that he belongs to a Scheduled Caste (Bakuda community). He alleged that on February 23 at around 4 pm, his son was sitting near the railway track with a female classmate when the accused arrived and began recording them on a mobile phone.

The complaint states that the duo allegedly confronted the minors, verbally abused them and threatened to upload the video on social media. The girl reportedly left the spot out of fear. When the boy tried to leave, Avil allegedly stopped him, took him from the railway track towards the nearby road and demanded the address of the girl’s house.

The boy was allegedly subjected to abusive language and later assaulted by the accused, who, according to the complaint, also threatened him in public. It is further alleged that caste-related abuses were directed at the minor during the incident.

The complainant said he came to know about the episode only after the video started circulating online. Upon questioning his son, he learned that the boy had allegedly been threatened, abused and assaulted in public by the accused. Police said further investigation is underway.