A video clip of a home guard personnel wielding a cane against tourists from Mandya, who kept arguing on entering the sea in Malpe beach, went viral on the social media on Sunday.
The home guard personnel, posted to ensure the safety of visitors at the beach, was also accused of caning a tourist from Mandya.
As the sea had been rough since the onset of monsoon, tourists were banned from stepping into the choppy waters in Malpe beach.
On Sunday, a group of four youth from Mandya reportedly did not pay heed to the repeated warnings of the personnel. Irked by the attitude of the youths, who crossed ‘the danger line’, the personnel allegedly caned the tourists and many onlookers in the beach had objected to his act.
Sudesh Shetty, leaseholder for developing the Malpe Beach, defended the caning by the personnel and declared that many tourists do not follow safety measures on the beach, particularly during the monsoon. Some visitors under the influence of alcohol ignore the warnings of home guard personnel. “So some action against such people is necessary,” he stressed.
‘’There were many drowning incidents in the past. We faced the blame when tourists lost lives due to their negligence. Thus the home guard personnel would have taken some action as a final resort,” he clarified.
Malpe police clarified that the home guard personnel only wielded the stick and
did not cane the tourists as alleged. “Keeping the safety of tourists in mind, home guard personnel will take action against unruly tourists in future too,” police said.