Posing as Muslim, Hindu youth posts indecent messages on goddess, held in Karnataka

Karnataka police have arrested a Hindu youth on charges of posting objectionable, indecent posts on goddess Cauvery and women in Kodagu district of Karnataka, police said on Monday.

The arrested youth has been identified as Divin Devaiah, a resident of Kedamulluru in Virajpet taluk in Kodagu district. According to police, the accused had opened an account in the name of Muslim youth and posted messages.

The accused, through his fake account, posted defamatory and insulting messages on goddess Cuavery, which the local Kodava community worship as their deity. He had also targeted women belonging to the Kodava community in his derogatory posts.

Kodagu is considered a bastion of BJP and Hindu organisations and it is also considered as a communally sensitive region. Various organisations had given bandh calls condemning the posts and the issue had taken a communal turn, threatening law and order situation.

Following the arrest, the bandh call given in Kodagu district is being withdrawn. Police explained that they had to take the help of Mumbai police to crack the case. The Mumbai police had got the inputs from California City about the fake FB account and passed on the inputs to local police, sources explained.

Following the lead, the police have nabbed the accused youth. "This is an unfortunate incident which should not have taken place. Those who misuse social media handles must think twice, the incident of arrest must be a lesson for everyone," members from the Federation of Kodava Community stated.

Superintendent of Police Kodagu district, M A Aiyappa stated that it has become common to misuse social media with the lack of knowledge on its consequences. Further investigation in the matter is on.