Hubballi violence: Families want 'innocent' relatives freed, else they won't vote in May 10 polls
Bengaluru/Hubballi (PTI): A year after 89 persons were arrested for allegedly indulging in violence at Karnataka's Hubballi, families of many of them claim their relatives are 'innocent,' insist they are unable to go through the bail procedures since they are illiterate and that they would boycott the May 10 Assembly polls if the accused "who did nothing wrong" are not released.
In April last year, 89 people were arrested after a mob went on the rampage over a social media post that saw a police station and a Hanuman temple coming under attack. The violence was allegedly triggered following a social media post of a digitally altered image of a saffron flag flying over a mosque.
Some of the families of those who are still in jail claim their children and relatives were 'innocent' and had "no role to play in the violence".
"Most of them who were arrested, were picked up by the police randomly. We are illiterate. We do not know how to apply for bail or approach the court to get our children released," some of the local residents said.
Mumtaz from Nava Anand Nagar in Hubballi, whose son was among the arrested and currently lodged in Kalaburagi jail, said she couldn't meet him in the last one year.
Claiming her son was not guilty, Mumtaz said she will not cast her vote until her ward is released from prison.
"My son used to drive an autorickshaw in Hubbali. The police arrested and took him to Kalaburagi jail and since then, I haven't heard his voice. It has been more than a year now. My son was innocent. I will not cast my vote until my son is released from jail," Mumtaz told PTI.
The incident in Hubballi was the fallout of the alleged social media post, which others objected to and lodged a police complaint. Subsequently, the person who made the post was arrested after a case was registered.
According to the family members of the accused, those who are lodged in the jail had written a letter to their community leaders, urging them to convey their message to the Centre and release them at the earliest.
"Three of my sons got arrested and one of them is in jail for the last 11 months. My children were not guilty in this incident. I will not cast my vote until my son is freed," Shamshad from Nava Anand Nagar said.
She added around 50 people were arrested from Nava Anand Nagar area after the violence.
Speaking about the case, Karnataka ADGP Alok Kumar said granting bail depends on the seriousness of the case and quality of evidence, among others.
"Several of the arrested were charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Granting bail to the accused depends on the seriousness of the case, extent of law and quality of evidence, whether it is on video or pictures," Alok Kumar told PTI.
Mehboobi from Nava Anand Nagar, a widow and the sole earner of the family, claimed her son was not guilty.
"My son was not involved in the violence, yet he was arrested. My husband passed away and I have to take care of the family all by myself," Mehboobi said.
Earlier, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had dismissed the allegations that innocent people were being held in connection with the Hubballi violence and said arrests were made based on evidence.
"No innocent person has been arrested. Based on evidence, people have been arrested," he had said.
Batul from Nava Anand Nagar, whose husband was arrested last year in connection with the violence, also claims he was innocent.
She said she couldn't approach the court for bail as she is illiterate and that she did not receive help from anyone to have a fair trial for her husband.
"My husband was arrested last year after the violence took place in Hubballi. I have two children and run the family by myself. I am illiterate, and hence, I couldn't approach the court for my husband's bail. There was no one to help me out. This is unfair. I will not cast my vote until he is released," Batul told PTI.
Speaking about the mob violence and its aftermath in Hubballi, Human Rights activist Clifton D' Rozario said that as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the case, the provisions make it difficult for people to get bail and the "innocents suffer."
"The Hubballi mob violence case has been taken over by the NIA and under this provision, getting bail is very difficult. Innocents held in such cases suffer. Applying for bail is a right," Rozario said.
When asked about the families who are refusing to cast their votes in Hubballi, Congress candidate (Hubballi-Dharwad Central) Jagadish Shettar claimed he has always coordinated with all communities and ensured peace in the region.
"It is a legal matter but ever since I have been elected here in 1994, I have coordinated with all communities and ensured peace in this area," Shettar told PTI.
Shettar, who quit the BJP recently, was first elected to the state Assembly in 1994 and has won for six times in Hubballi-Dharwad Central constituency.
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TraceX Guard Strengthens National Safety Against Mobile Cyber Threats
India is witnessing a sharp rise in trojanised Android APK scams, as cybercriminals increasingly exploit fake government, banking, LPG, challan, and welfare scheme apps to seize full remote control of victims’ smartphones.
Cybersecurity investigators warn that attackers are now widely deploying Remote Access Trojan (RAT) malware, often powered by leaked builder kits such as CraxsRAT and heavily modified custom payload frameworks. Once installed, these malicious APKs can convert an ordinary Android phone into a fully controlled fraud device, enabling silent surveillance, banking theft, and mass scam propagation.
These malware campaigns are primarily being distributed through WhatsApp, Telegram, SMS phishing links, and fake APK download websites, where users are tricked into installing apps disguised as:
- e-Challan apps
- SBI KYC verification tools
- PM Yojana portals
- mParivahan clones
- LPG booking apps
- fake adult video call apps
As the scale of the threat intensifies, cybersecurity startup TraceX Labs has introduced TraceX Guard, positioning it as a frontline mobile defence platform against APK fraud, RAT infections, QR scams, and malicious permission abuse.
Fear-Based Social Engineering Behind the Surge
According to investigators, these frauds typically begin with panic-driven social engineering messages sent over WhatsApp or Telegram.
Common bait messages include:
- Your traffic challan has been issued
- Your SBI KYC is pending
- PM Yojana verification required
- Your LPG cylinder booking failed
- Your bank account will be blocked
These alerts often include fake challan numbers, vehicle details, Aadhaar-linked references, or forged bank notices, creating a sense of urgency that pushes victims to install the malicious APK without verification.
One of the most dangerous variants currently in circulation is a fake mParivahan-style application, which closely mimics India’s legitimate transport services interface while secretly embedding a hidden RAT payload.
How the Malware Takes Over Smartphones
Once installed, the malicious APK immediately requests dangerous permissions, including:
- Accessibility access
- SMS permissions
- Call logs
- Notifications
- File storage
- Battery optimization exemptions
Security researchers say Accessibility Service abuse remains the most critical attack vector, allowing the malware to silently:
- read screen contents
- detect banking and UPI apps
- auto-click Allow / Confirm / Pay buttons
- capture OTPs
- launch hidden overlays
- navigate banking sessions
- trigger silent fund transfers
Because these actions occur directly on the victim’s trusted device, attackers are often able to bypass traditional fraud detection systems.
Within minutes, victims may lose control over:
- bank balances
- UPI wallets
- Aadhaar and PAN scans
- contact lists
- personal photos and media
- incoming calls
- SMS OTPs
In many cases, the malware also self-propagates by forwarding malicious APK links through the victim’s own WhatsApp groups and Telegram chats, triggering a chain infection effect across trusted social circles.Fake RTO Challan APKs Become the Most Dangerous Variant
Among the most active campaigns, fake RTO challan APK scams have emerged as one of the most financially destructive.
Victims are first lured into paying a ₹1 “verification fee”, after which the malicious app requests highly sensitive information such as:
- card number
- expiry date
- CVV
- UPI PIN
- net banking credentials
- even ATM PINs
Cybersecurity experts stress that no legitimate government payment system ever asks for an ATM PIN inside an app, making this an immediate red flag.
Once payment details are entered, the embedded RAT intercepts OTPs and silently completes unauthorized transactions.
India’s Mobile Fraud Crisis Reaches Critical Levels
Investigators estimate that more than 70% of reported cyber fraud cases in India now originate from mobile devices, with millions of complaints linked to:
- malicious APKs
- phishing URLs
- QR scams
- RAT droppers
- banking session hijacks
- WhatsApp fraud chains
The impact is particularly severe across Tier-2 and Tier-3 regions, where smartphone adoption has expanded faster than awareness around:
- APK sideloading risks
- dangerous permissions
- fake banking overlays
- accessibility abuse
- WhatsApp APK scams
This has effectively turned Android smartphones into the primary battlefield of India’s financial cybercrime ecosystem.
TraceX Guard Introduced as a Real-Time Defence Layer
In response to this rapidly evolving threat landscape, TraceX Labs has launched TraceX Guard, an AI-powered multilingual Android security suite built specifically for India’s APK fraud ecosystem.
The platform offers:
- real-time APK scanning
- malicious permission detection
- hidden app discovery
- RAT behaviour monitoring
- QR & phishing URL safety grading
- OTP and SIM fraud alerts
- Wi-Fi hotspot verification
- ransomware defence
- India-specific scam intelligence feeds
- support for 10+ regional languages
Its offline-first AI architecture allows users to scan threats without uploading personal data, making it especially useful for privacy-conscious users and low-connectivity regions.
TraceX Labs says the system is specifically trained to detect patterns used in:
- fake challan scams
- counterfeit SBI APKs
- PM Yojana malware
- wedding invitation APK attacks
- honey-trap adult apps
- Telegram-based RAT droppers
From Phishing to Malware-Driven Financial Warfare
Cybersecurity analysts say this marks a major shift in India’s digital threat landscape.
What once began as simple phishing links has now evolved into malware-driven financial warfare at scale, where a single infected smartphone can silently compromise:
- families
- WhatsApp groups
- banking accounts
- local communities
- social trust networks
With losses from mobile-first fraud already running into tens of thousands of crores, experts believe the future of cyber defence will increasingly depend on preventive mobile security tools capable of stopping unsafe APKs before installation.
In that battle, TraceX Guard is emerging as one of the most important first lines of defence for India’s digital users.
Download Now : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tracexlabs.guard
