Muslim groom booked for dressing up as Koragajja

Acase was registered against a Muslim bridegroom and family members of the bride for allegedly hurting religious sentiments of Hindus during a wedding ceremony.

The case was registered based on a complaint from Chethan from Vitla Padnuru village of Bantwal taluk, that the bridegroom had dressed up as Koragajja, a revered Hindu demigod in the Tulunadu area, police sources here said Saturday.

Bashit, hailing from Uppala near Manjeshwar, who was attending the wedding ceremony at the residence of Aziz at Salethur in Kolnadu village of Bantwal taluk on Thursday night, was wearing the attire of Koragajja and danced along with his friends in a way that defamed the demigod, the complaint said. The youth also circulated video clippings of the dance on social media platforms which later went viral.

The police registered the case for offences punishable under IPC Sections 153 (A) (promoting enmity between different groups) and 295 (defiling a place of worship with intent to insult a religion).

Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) district secretary Shivanand Mendon, in a statement, demanded that strict action be taken against the accused.

Former city mayor and Dakshina Kannada district Muslim federation president K Ashraf also condemned the conduct of Bashit and other family members, saying such behaviour goes against the norms followed by Muslims during weddings. By dressing up as a deity, the groom has insulted a community in a communally sensitive region, he said.