Sunil Lohan
Members of the Campaign Against Hate Speech have submitted a complaint to the Director General and Inspector General of Police (DG–IGP),alleging serious criminal misconduct by cow vigilante Puneeth Kerehalli, a habitual offender who is currently out on bail in a murder case.
The group has sought immediate registration of FIRs,his arrest,a thorough investigation,and initiation of proceedings for cancellation of his bail.
In their complaint,the group accused Kerehalli of unlawfully entering migrant workers’dwellings and sheds, intimidating and interrogating them about their nationality,and forcibly demanding identity documents.
They said his actions were illegal,communal in nature, and posed a grave risk of mob violence against vulnerable migrant communities.
The complaint refers to a video uploaded by Puneeth Kerehalli on his official YouTube channel on January 14, 2026, in which he is allegedly seen leading a late-night protest, shouting slogans and branding residents as “illegal migrants.”
The group said the video shows him recording people without their consent,violating their right to privacy,and demanding they disclose their citizenship.
According to the complainants, Kerehalli is also seen intimidating residents by bringing a group of men along with him,questioning them aggressively,and attempting to conduct an inquiry in the presence of police officers rather than at the police station.They alleged that he illegally collected Aadhaar cards from residents without any authority.
The group said the title of the video itself was overtly communal and aimed at portraying Muslims as illegal migrants, thereby instigating hatred and fear.
In the video,Kerehalli is also allegedly seen framing the issue as one of “Hindus versus Muslims,”while some of his associates are heard making inflammatory remarks, including calls for a “JCB doctor”and threats against officials of the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO).
The complainants noted that Kerehalli has over 10,000 subscribers on YouTube and that the video had garnered over 2,000 views within a day, amplifying the potential harm and spread of communal hatred.
The group stressed that any issue relating to undocumented migration must be handled strictly by authorised agencies such as the Ministry of Home Affairs,the FRRO,and state authorities, and that private individuals have no legal right to enter homes,harass residents,or demand documents.
They alleged that Kerehalli’s conduct amounts to criminal trespass, harassment, and criminal intimidation, and violates constitutional rights to dignity, privacy, equality, and freedom of movement.
The complaint also warned of a serious risk of lynching or mob violence,citing past incidents where migrant workers were attacked on suspicion of being “Bangladeshi.”
Expressing concern over police presence during some of these incidents, the group alleged possible dereliction of duty, tacit encouragement of vigilantism,and failure to protect constitutional rights.
They have demanded a departmental inquiry into the role of police personnel who were present and questioned why preventive measures mandated by the Supreme Court in the Tehseen Poonawalla case were not implemented.
Pointing out that Kerehalli is already on bail in a murder case, the complainants said his alleged involvement in fresh criminal acts constitutes abuse of bail conditions.
They urged the police to place all prima facie material before the court and seek immediate cancellation of his bail.
The Campaign Against Hate Speech has sought the following actions:
Immediate registration of FIRs against Puneeth Kerehalli and his associates under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS); initiation of bail cancellation proceedings; a departmental inquiry into police conduct; clear statewide instructions barring private individuals from questioning or detaining people on the basis of nationality; and a public assurance that the Karnataka Police will not tolerate vigilante actions.
“Migrant and working-class communities are entitled to safety, dignity and equal protection of the law,” the group said, calling for strict enforcement of the rule of law to prevent further intimidation and communal targeting.
