Belthangady Police arrest Puneeth Kerehalli in Bengaluru for hate speech case

Mangalore Today News Network

Belthangady, Apr 16, 2026: In connection with a case related to the circulation of hate speech on social media, Belthangady police have arrested right-wing activist Puneeth Kerehalli in Bengaluru.

He is currently being brought to Belthangady for further investigation. The arrest follows his repeated failure to appear for questioning.

The case was registered based on a complaint filed by Joram Barboza, a resident of Hunasekatte in Kasba village of Belthangady, on August 7, 2025.

The complainant alleged that Kerehalli made provocative statements intended to incite communal disharmony and shared related videos on social media platforms.

Following the registration of the case, Belthangady police had issued multiple notices to Kerehalli. As he failed to comply, the police obtained an arrest warrant from a Belthangady court. A special team then travelled to Bengaluru and took him into custody.

After preliminary questioning, he is expected to be produced before a local court.