Police on Thursday arrested Somanath Sapalya, a jeep driver from Kanyadi, near Dharmasthala, for assaulting three YouTubers and a cameraman at Pangala in the temple town on Wednesday.
A police statement said that the 50-year-old driver was arrested at Kokkada, near Dharmasthala. A court remaned him in judicial custody for 14 days.
A group of 50 people allegedly assaulted YouTubers Ajay Anchan, Santosh, Abhishek, and Anchan’s cameraman Suhas and damaged their two vehicles and a camera.
Police registered a total of seven FIRs relating to the Pangala incident and assault on a television reporter at Ujire.
As many as four FIRs were registered in the Dharmasthala police station in connection with the incident in Pangala. The cases were registered for offences under Sections 189(2) (unlawful assembly), 191(2) (rioting), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 324(5) (mischief), 352 (intentional insult), 307 (theft after preparation made for causing death), 132 (assault or use of criminal force to deter public servent from discharge of his duty), 110 (attempt to commit culpabale homicide), and 351(2) (criminal intimidation).
One among the four FIRs registered was in connection with holding a protest in front of the Dharmasthala police station without obtaining any permission.
Ujire incident
R. Harish, a reporter of Asianet Suvarna Kannada news channel was allegedly assaulted in front of a private hospital at Ujire allegedly by those “who supported You Tubers” when he had gone to the hospital where the You Tubers were admitted.
A total of three FIRS were registered at the Belthangady Police station in this connection. The complaint by Mr. Harish accusing activists Girish Mattannavar, Mahesh Shetty Timarody, YouTuber Sameer, T. Jayanth, and their supporters of assaulting him was registered for the offences under Sections 115 (2), 189 (2), 191 (2), 351 (2), 352 of BNS.
A counter-complaint was filed by one Ganesh Shetty, accusing Mr. Harish, the news channel cameraman Naveen, and Suvarna News Assistant Editor Ajit Hanumakkanavar of speaking badly against Mr. Mattannavar, Mr. Timarody, and Mr. Sameer after they refused to give a video byte about the attack on YouTubers. This complaint was registered under Sections 126(2), 296, and 351 of BNS.
Another FIR registered in Belthangady station was in connection with the unauthorised assembly of people in front of the hospital at Ujire.
Published – August 07, 2025 11:26 pm IST
