MANGALURU, 6 AUG

Four men, representing three YouTube channels, including a cameraman, were attacked by a large mob near Dharmasthala in Dakshina Kannada district on Wednesday evening, when they were interviewing a person, amid an ongoing probe by SIT into the alleged mass burial case, police said.

The incident occurred close to the residence of a college-goer, who was raped and found dead in 2012 in Dharmasthala town.

Ajay Anchan, Abhishek, Vijay and a cameraman were interviewing Rajat of ‘Bigg Boss Kannada’ when they were assaulted by an estimated 50 to 60 individuals near Pangal Cross here. They also damaged the camera equipment.

All four were rushed to Benaka Hospital in Ujire. One of them is reported to be in critical condition, police said.

Police have launched an investigation, and no arrests have been reported yet.

Following the incident at Pangal Cross, two groups started abusing and pelting stones at each other. The police tried to pacify the mob, but when it showed signs of escalation, they resorted to a mild lathi charge to disperse them.

The Special Investigation Team was formed after the Karnataka Women’s Commission chairperson Naga-lakshmi Choudhary, several members from civil societies and lawyers demanded an investigation into the allegation of mass burial of people in Dharmasthala. There were allegations that “powerful people” were behind the murder of girls and young women, which prompted the state government to form an SIT.