Nine arrested after tourists assault pani puri vendor

Malpe (Udupi): Police in Malpe have arrested nine individuals following a violent altercation at the popular Malpe beach on Tuesday night, involving a group of tourists from Mandya and local vendors.

The incident occurred around 8:30 PM, when six men from Mandya, visiting as tourists, reportedly assaulted Monu Sahu (19), a street vendor from Uttar Pradesh who runs a pani puri stall near the beach. The accused have been identified as Sudeep, Sampath, Puneeth, Mahesh, Kanna Vaiji, and Aravind.

According to police, the group consumed several plates of pani puri but refused to pay. When the vendor insisted on payment, a verbal dispute escalated into physical assault. One of the tourists allegedly slapped Sahu while another kicked him, and the group is also said to have hurled verbal abuses and issued threats before walking away.

Roughly 10 minutes later, the group returned to the stall, reigniting the confrontation. Local shopkeepers Ramesh and Vinod, who tried to intervene, were also allegedly attacked—one of the accused is said to have struck them with a bat. Ramesh suffered an injury to his left hand, while Vinod reported internal pain.

As bystanders began gathering, the group fled the scene. However, the police tracked down and arrested all nine individuals involved in the incident.

Two separate cases have been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The first case was based on a complaint from Monu Sahu against the six tourists, while the second case was registered by the police, naming Monu, Ramesh, and Vinod as accused in the subsequent altercation. The exact circumstances surrounding the second FIR are still under investigation.

Malpe Police said further inquiry is ongoing and that CCTV footage from the area is being examined.