MANGALURU: Police have arrested two men in separate cases in Dakshina Kannada district involving alleged sexual harassment of a Scheduled Caste woman and an alleged conspiracy to extort money and property by making serious accusations against another woman.
The arrests were made by Venur and Urwa police in separate investigations. While a 61-year-old man was taken into custody in connection with the sexual harassment complaint, a 42-year-old man was arrested in the alleged extortion conspiracy case and remanded to judicial custody.
61-year-old arrested in sexual harassment case
Venur police arrested Syed Mohammed Ishaq, 61, a resident of Venur in Belthangady taluk, following a complaint by a young Scheduled Caste woman alleging sexual harassment at her workplace.
According to the complaint, the incident occurred on the afternoon of October 24, when the woman was at work within Venur police station limits. The accused allegedly arrived on a two-wheeler, spoke to her in an obscene manner in a public place and attempted to sexually harass her by offering money.
Based on the complaint, police registered Crime No. 73/2026 under Sections 75(1)(ii), 75(1)(iv) and 79 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, along with relevant provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The accused was taken into custody and questioned by police. Further investigation is under way to establish the circumstances of the incident and gather evidence.
The allegations remain subject to investigation and judicial proceedings.
Man arrested in alleged extortion conspiracy
In the second case, Urwa police arrested Naveen Thoress, 42, a resident of Ganamajal in Padavu near Shaktinagar, Mangaluru, in connection with an alleged conspiracy to extort money and property from a woman by making serious accusations against her and damaging her family’s reputation.
The complainant, Maya Annamarie Rego, lodged a complaint with Urwa police on August 10, 2026. She alleged that false and serious accusations, including allegations relating to murder, were being made against her as part of an attempt to extort money and property and publicly humiliate her family.
Based on the complaint, police registered Crime No. 83/2026 under Sections 61(a)(1) and 308(7) of the BNS, relating to criminal conspiracy and extortion.
Police said the investigation involved examining available evidence before the arrest. Thoress was arrested on October 23 and produced before a court on October 24. The court remanded him to judicial custody.
Investigation continues in both cases
Police said further investigation was continuing in the alleged extortion conspiracy case to establish whether other people were involved and determine their respective roles.
The two cases are separate and involve different complainants, circumstances and police stations. In both matters, the allegations will have to be examined through the legal process, and arrest does not by itself establish guilt.
Police have not indicated that the two cases are connected. Further action will depend on the findings of the ongoing investigations and the evidence placed before the courts.