The Udupi district police have registered two separate cases over alleged derogatory social media posts targeting V. Sunil Kumar, Karkala MLA, and Congress leader Uday Kumar Shetty.In a press note, the police said Sumath Shettigar, a resident of Udupi, filed a complaint stating that he saw a derogatory Facebook post on July 3 in which the MLA’s face was superimposed on the image of a disfigured Parashurama idol. He said the post was shared from a Facebook account bearing the name Guru P. Udyavara. Mr. Shettigar alleged that the content was posted with the intention of creating communal tension. The Udupi Town police registered a case under Sections 196(1), 352 and 353(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).On July 1, another post was reportedly shared on Facebook using an account named ‘Troll Jolige’, in which an AI-generated photo of Congress leader Uday Kumar Shetty was used with a comment allegedly intended to create communal tension. A complaint on this matter was registered by the Karkala Town police under Sections 196 and 353(2) of the BNS.The police said legal action would be taken against those involved in the two cases. Published - July 06, 2026 08:25 pm IST