Mangalore: Man Arrested for Casteist Slurs Against Woman on Social Media
Mangalore: Nikhil Raj, a 27-year-old resident of Kavoor, Mangalore, was apprehended by police on October 21, 2025, on charges of disseminating casteist slurs directed at a woman via social media platforms. The arrest stems from a case registered on October 18, 2025, at the Mangalore East Police Station under Crime No. 146/2025.
Raj faces charges including violations of Sections 79 and 190 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (B.N.S), as well as Sections 66(A) and 67 of the Information Technology Act, and Section 3(1)(w)(i)(ii) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The case originated with a complaint filed by a woman following the death of Abhishek Acharya from Nitte village, Karkala. The complainant alleges that Acharya, prior to his death by suicide, circulated obscene videos and photos of her on social media. She further alleges that before his death, Acharya sent her a photo of himself in apparent distress.
Subsequent to Acharya’s death, the complainant alleges that his brother, Abhijit Acharya, along with other individuals, distributed Acharya’s suicide note and the complainant’s obscene images across various online platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp groups. The complainant contends that this distribution caused defamation, particularly aggravated by her belonging to a Scheduled Caste, and that the sharing of these images constituted casteist defamation.
During the investigation, authorities discovered evidence indicating that certain messages circulating on social media in the wake of Abhishek Acharya’s death contained casteist slurs. It is within this context that Nikhil Raj was arrested, under the direction of ACP Pratap Singh Thorat of the Mangalore Central Sub-Division. Raj’s mobile phone has been seized and submitted for forensic analysis as part of the ongoing investigation.
Police have stated that Raj will be presented before the court at the earliest opportunity. The police department has emphasized that the case is registered under the SC/ST Act, and the investigation remains active. A stern warning has been issued, indicating that stringent legal action will be taken against any other individuals found to be complicit in similar acts.
