Amid the political slugfest over the stripping and assault case in Belagavi, the Karnataka government handed over the probe to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Saturday. The CID probe is likely to begin on Monday.
Multiple statutory bodies, including the National Human Rights Commission, National Commission for Women (NCW), and National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, apart from the High Court of Karnataka, have taken suo motu cognisance of the case. The High Court, which said the victim’s plight, in this case, was “worse than what Draupadi faced”, had also said it was “not satisfied by the way things took place post the incident” and was unhappy over the status report of the Belagavi police.
A 42-year-old woman, belonging to a Scheduled Tribe (ST) community, was allegedly tied to an electric pole, partially stripped and assaulted after her son eloped with a girl from the same village and community. The incident occurred at Vantamuri village on December 11, when the State legislature was in session in Belagavi. The jurisdictional Kakati police rushed to the village, rescued her, took her to a hospital for treatment. The Belagavi police have so far arrested 13 people in connection with the case and have suspended a police inspector of Kakati station for alleged dereliction of duty.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also sent a fact-finding commission and attacked the Congress government for alleged “breakdown of law and order.” The case also led to much consternation in the recently concluded legislature session.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah responding to a question on the case on Sunday, said that the government had full confidence in the capabilities of the Karnataka police in investigating the matter. “However, if need be, we are ready to hand over the case to any investigating agency,’‘ he said.
