Author: DNA Correspondent 
Publication: Dnaindia.com
Date: December 23, 2013
URL: http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report-mangalore-incident-not-an-isolated-one-1939539

Sources say various gangs have been involved in such activities.

Skeletons are tumbling out of the cupboard since the Mangalore incident came to light where eight men forced two students to engage in sexual act and shot their video.

 While the perpetrators have been arrested, sources in the know of things said the men initially made light of the police. The sources said the perpetrators had the balls to push around the policemen; they challenged that even if they were arrested, their political bosses would get them out of jail within two hours.

 Requesting anonymity, sources said while this incident made headlines, it would be wrong to assume it was an isolated one. They said such incidents have been hapening, but they went unreported.

 They said three groups are involved in these kind of activities and each group has its own turf: Surathkal, Ullal and Konaje. The sources said some of the men involved in these activities have strong political connections, which is where they derive their sense of impunity from. That the new police commissioner R Hitendra brushed off the political pressure—or its threat—has apparently created a buzz in the political circles.

 The eight that were arrested on the charges of kidnapping and sexually assaulting the students were operating in Konaje. Sources said the group had been running a racket there for quite some time, ‘arranging’ sexual partners for a particular group that shot obscene films of youth.

 The incident has stirred up social activists. Vidya Dinakar, a social activist, said they would soon start a movement to rid the society of the rogue elements. He said the case was serious and more shocking than the Delhi gangrape, as the men raped the woman before shooting her video. He said they have called a meeting of like-minded organisations to sensitise youth about the presence of anti-social elements.

 Bajrang Dal too has taken note of the incident and deputed its informants at public places to report suspicious activities. A Dal member, Sathishchandra, condemned the incident and expressed horror at the audacity with which the gang went about its activity.

 He said it would be unfair to blame the police as police cannot be everywhere. Which is why, he said, they were deputing their informants at all public places, to alert them if they notice any suspicious activity.