Shopkeeper Arrested in Vijayapura's Alamela Taluk for Assaulting Minors

In Malaghan village of Alamela taluk in Vijayapura district, law enforcement authorities arrested a local shopkeeper after he physically thrashed two minor boys over a dispute regarding snack payments and theft allegations. According to reports from the local police, the incident occurred when the shopkeeper, identified as Ashok Pattar, accused the boys of stealing items from his store and failing to settle a bill. The shopkeeper allegedly used a plastic pipe to hit the children, causing minor injuries. The incident gained wide public attention after a video recording of the altercation was circulated on social media platforms, drawing sharp criticism from community members and child rights advocates. Following the viral response, the father of one of the boys lodged an official complaint at the Alamela police station. Acting on the complaint, police registered a case under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and took the store owner into custody. The injured boys were taken to the government hospital in Sindagi for medical treatment. Local officials emphasized that citizens must report grievances to authorities rather than taking the law into their own hands.