Hubballi (Karnataka) [India], January 8 : Karnataka police detained 21 BJP workers, including Hubballi Mayor Jyoti Patil and Deputy Mayor Santosh Chavan, for staging a protest in front of the Keshwapur Police Station in Hubballi and demanding the arrest of a Congress corporator in connection with the alleged assault of a woman BJP worker.
The incident dates back to January 1, which have since triggered political outrage and protests.
According to Hubballi-Dharwad Commissioner of Police N Shashikumar, the initial incident occurred on January 1 during a survey conducted by local authorities in Chalukya Nagar, under the Keshwapur police station limits.
"During the survey, there was a difference of opinion among local residents, leading to a quarrel. Our police intervened immediately to control the situation. In that process, three cases were registered against the lady seen in the video," the Commissioner said.
He further stated that on January 5, the woman was arrested in an attempt to murder case registered by a local resident.
"While she was being taken into custody by 8-10 women police officers, she undressed herself and tried to escape from police custody. Our staff only tried to get alternative clothes for her and made her wear them," CP Shashikumar said, rejecting allegations of police misconduct.
The Police Commissioner added that the woman has nine cases registered against her, including four this year, and warned that circulating the video of the incident was an offence.
"The video being circulated is obscene. We will take suo motu action against those who recorded and circulated it. I have directed my DCP to conduct a thorough inquiry and submit a report to me," he said.
Elaborating on the January 5 incident, CP Shashikumar said that the woman resisted arrest and assaulted police personnel.
"She bit one of our sub-inspectors, and three to four staff members were injured. . The information that she was misbehaved by the police is completely incorrect," he added.
Providing details of the arrest, injured Woman, PSI Kalavati said that police faced strong resistance from the accused and her family.
"On January 5, our North Division ACP called and asked us to come to the Keshwapur Police Station. We went to arrest Sujata Handi after receiving orders. Despite strong resistance from her family, we managed to bring her into the vehicle. Her sister, Vijayalakshmi, attempted to strangle her with a saree, but we stopped her. In total, four staff members were injured during her arrest," Kalavati said.
However, the victim's family has alleged police excess. The victim's sister, Vijayalakshmi, claimed that police forcibly took the woman into custody. "We were sitting outside our house when around 30 policemen arrived. They took Sujata and all of us inside. Sujata was brutally assaulted, and her clothes were torn. Both ladies' and gents police officers were present, and we pleaded with them to leave us. They dragged her inside the vehicle," she alleged.
Echoing similar claims, the victim's mother said police abused and dragged her daughter. "We were outside our house when a group of policemen arrived and asked us to come with them. We asked why, what we had done. They dragged my daughter into the vehicle, and the inspector abused us," she said.
Reacting to the incident, Leader of Opposition in the state's Legislative Council, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, alleged collusion between the police and Congress leaders. "It is a woman's act against a woman. The police are colliding with the Congress leader. Particularly, the local Congress Party councillor and the police are very close associates," he said.
BJP MLC C T Ravi demanded an independent probe, calling for an inquiry by the Women's Commission and suspension of officials responsible. "An enquiry under the Women's Commission should be initiated immediately, and strict action should be taken against those responsible, including suspension," he said to the media.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah defended the police action, stating that the woman had resisted arrest.
He said, "That woman bit the woman police officer after stripping herself. When the police went to arrest her, she bit them. There were 10 women police officers at that time. Don't take the law into your own hands; if you do, legal action will be taken."