A political controversy has erupted in Karnataka after a woman BJP worker from Hubballi accused police personnel of assaulting and disrobing her during an arrest. The Hubballi-Dharwad police have strongly denied the allegations, presenting a counter-narrative that she disrobed herself and attacked the officers.
The Allegations and the Arrest
The incident stems from events on January 1, when government officials were conducting a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the Chalukya Nagar area. According to the police, the woman, identified as Sujatha Handi, quarrelled and assaulted both officials and neighbours during the survey.
Based on a complaint filed by a local resident, Prashanth Bommaji, the police registered three First Information Reports (FIRs) against Handi. On Monday, January 5, a team of eight to ten women police officers arrived to arrest her.
Conflicting Narratives: What Happened During the Arrest?
Sujatha Handi's version is that the police personnel beat her and disrobed her while taking her into custody. Videos from the scene, which went viral on Wednesday, show her being led to a police van.
The police, however, offer a starkly different account. N Shashikumar, Commissioner of Hubballi-Dharwad Police, stated that as Handi was being taken to the police van, she removed her own clothes. He said the women officers present sought help from local residents to get her another set of clothes and repeatedly urged her to dress herself.
The commissioner further reported that the arrest turned violent, resulting in injuries to four women police officers. He alleged that Handi bit one of them. Citing her history, he noted that Handi has nine pending cases and has been remanded to judicial custody.
Political Fallout and Official Inquiry
The Bharatiya Janata Party has condemned the police's actions. Party legislator C T Ravi called it an "atrocity against a woman" and a violation of human rights, demanding government action against the involved officers. Local BJP MLA Mahesh Tenginakai accused the police of acting inhumanly, suggesting it was done at the behest of a Congress councillor, Suvarna Kallakuntla.
In response to the serious allegations, Commissioner Shashikumar has ordered an inquiry into the events between January 1 and January 5. Additionally, the police have filed a counter-case against Sujatha Handi for obstructing officers from their duty and assaulting them.
The case has sparked a major debate in Karnataka, pitting claims of police brutality against assertions of lawful action against a violent individual, with political parties firmly taking sides.
