As of June 2025, Karnataka had a total of 39,698 rowdies, according to data accessed by The Hindu. Of these, Bengaluru accounts for 6,249, more than three times the number in Kalaburagi, which has the second-highest count at 1,934.
Out of the total, 23,016 are classified as active rowdies while the remaining have had no recent cases.
Bengaluru and Kalaburagi also lead in terms of active rowdies, with 6,210 and 1,475 individuals, respectively. They are followed by Bengaluru South (formerly Ramanagara) district with 952, Hassan with 883, and Tumakuru with 856.
In response to the growing concern over rowdyism and its impact on law and order, the Karnataka Police have pledged to crack down on such elements through stringent measures.
Three major measures have been implemented statewide: invoking the Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act (KCOCA), applying the Goonda Act, and initiating externment proceedings against rowdies. Additionally, individual districts have adopted their own strategies to curb the menace.
