2 min readBengaluruUpdated: Mar 5, 2026 10:00 PM IST
The Karnataka Police have issued directives to all Commissioners of Police and Superintendents of Police across the state to take action against individuals performing or promoting obscene songs in public that demean women and children.
An official communication from the office of DGP & IGP Saleem, issued from Police Headquarters, Bengaluru, instructs senior officers, including those in KGF and Railway Police, to investigate complaints regarding such performances and initiate legal action under relevant provisions of the law.
The directive follows a letter dated February 3, 2026, from Mohan Kumar Danappa, Member of the Karnataka State Police Complaints Authority, highlighting growing concerns over vulgar and indecent songs being performed publicly. According to the authority, some performers have been composing lyrics targeting school-going girls and young women, often using double-meaning phrases, and presenting them at fairs, religious gatherings, cultural events, and even on television reality shows.
“These performances, often amplified through loudspeakers on vehicles and circulated widely on social media, are harming the dignity of women and children, promoting misogynistic attitudes among youth, and affecting Kannada language and culture,” the complaint stated. It also warned that such content could indirectly provoke crimes against women and negatively influence students’ education and social values.
The DGP’s office has called for a detailed review of all such complaints and directed police units to ensure strict legal action, including registering suo motu criminal cases wherever offences are established. Officers have also been asked to remove objectionable content circulating online, in line with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Section 296 and the Information Technology Act, 2000.
Police sources said the move is part of a wider effort to safeguard women and children, particularly during upcoming festivals.
The complaint includes a petition from a social activist urging protection of cultural values and the dignity of women and children, noting that performances under the guise of folk, comedy, or “rasamanjari” programmes must not compromise public decency.
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It may be recalled that the DGP’s office had earlier directed all unit heads to ensure the safety of women and children during the upcoming festival season and to take strict action against anyone found harassing them.
