MANGALURU: A group of men allegedly assaulted several YouTubers covering the ongoing Dharmasthala mass burial case on Wednesday evening.
The incident occurred near the residence of the late Sowjanya in Pangala, where a Bigg Boss contestant, Rajath, had visited the family. The YouTubers, including Ajay Anchan of 'Kudla Rampage', had arrived to seek reactions when a group confronted them, accusing them of spreading misleading reports about the investigation.
A heated argument escalated into violence, with at least three YouTubers reportedly manhandled and their camera equipment damaged. Police intervened with a lathi charge to disperse the crowd, and the injured were taken to a hospital in Ujire. Meanwhile, supporters of the victims gathered outside the hospital, demanding justice.
In a separate incident, a Kannada news channel reporter and cameraman were allegedly assaulted near the hospital, further intensifying tensions. Protests also erupted outside the Dharmasthala police station, with demonstrators condemning what they called "conspiracies" against Dharmasthala.
Authorities have deployed additional police forces to maintain order as the situation remains volatile. A case has been registered at the Dharmasthala police station.