Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], January 9 : Karnataka Assembly Leader of Opposition R Ashoka condemned the alleged disrobing of a BJP woman worker in a police van in Hubballi and demanded the suspension of police officials involved in the incident.
Showing mistrust of the Karnataka Police, R Ashoka also demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident.
"The recent Hubballi incidents, reports that a woman was assaulted inside a police van, are an affront to the women of Karnataka and demand immediate, independent inquiry. I call for a judicial inquiry led by a sitting judge so the victims can obtain real justice. The circle inspector and any officers involved should be suspended at once; if this does not happen, I will personally visit Hubballi to press for a formal inquiry," R Ashoka said.
This comes after a video surfaced on social media of an alleged assault and stripping of a BJP woman while being arrested over a dispute in a voter revision exercise in Hubballi.
The police have denied the charges and said the woman, who faces multiple charges, removed the clothes herself.
"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," Hubballi-Dharwad Commissioner of Police N 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.
Earlier, Karnataka police detained 21 BJP workers, including Hubballi Mayor Jyoti Patil and Deputy Mayor Santosh Chavan, for staging a protest over the incident in front of the Keshwapur Police Station in Hubballi.
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.
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."