Karnataka BJP Worker Says She Was Assaulted And Stripped During Protest; Police Deny Claims
A political protest in Karnataka’s Hubballi has snowballed into a major controversy after a BJP woman activist accused the police of stripping and assaulting her during a crackdown in the Keshwapur area. While the allegations have triggered strong political reactions, the police have firmly denied the claims and offered a completely different version of events.
The woman activist, identified as Sujata Handi, also known as Vijayalakshmi, alleged that she was assaulted by police personnel while being taken into custody during the protest. According to her allegations, the police used excessive force and stripped her during the arrest process.
Sujata further claimed that the police action was politically motivated. She linked the incident to a complaint filed by a Congress corporator and alleged that the police acted in a partisan manner. According to her, the alleged assault followed a complaint lodged by Congress corporator Suvarna Kallakuntla, and she accused the police of displaying undue aggression and bias.
However, the Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner categorically rejected these allegations. Addressing the media, the Commissioner said the claims of stripping and assault were false and misleading, and insisted that the police acted strictly within the law.
Giving the police version of events, the Commissioner said the woman activist herself removed her saree during the arrest. “Some people remove their clothes to avoid being taken into custody. In this case, the woman activist removed her saree herself while resisting arrest," he said, denying any wrongdoing by police personnel involved in the operation.
Police also stated that a separate complaint has been registered against Sujata, alleging that she misbehaved with two police personnel during the arrest and bit some of them. Officials maintained that the situation escalated because she attempted to resist arrest and later tried to flee, which led to a scuffle with the police team on the ground.
Further elaborating on her background, the Police Commissioner said Sujata has eight criminal cases registered against her, including two recent ones. One of these cases, according to the police, relates to an alleged attempt to murder one of her neighbours. The police said these details were being shared to provide context to the situation and to counter what they described as misleading allegations.
The incident has sparked sharp political reactions. BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari condemned the episode as “absolutely reprehensible and shocking” and alleged a “complete collapse of law and order” in Karnataka, demanding accountability and action against those responsible.
Police confirmed that Sujata is currently in judicial custody. Authorities said further legal procedures are underway and that all aspects of the incident are being examined, even as political tensions around the case continue to rise.
The woman activist, identified as Sujata Handi, also known as Vijayalakshmi, alleged that she was assaulted by police personnel while being taken into custody during the protest. According to her allegations, the police used excessive force and stripped her during the arrest process.
Sujata further claimed that the police action was politically motivated. She linked the incident to a complaint filed by a Congress corporator and alleged that the police acted in a partisan manner. According to her, the alleged assault followed a complaint lodged by Congress corporator Suvarna Kallakuntla, and she accused the police of displaying undue aggression and bias.
However, the Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner categorically rejected these allegations. Addressing the media, the Commissioner said the claims of stripping and assault were false and misleading, and insisted that the police acted strictly within the law.
Giving the police version of events, the Commissioner said the woman activist herself removed her saree during the arrest. “Some people remove their clothes to avoid being taken into custody. In this case, the woman activist removed her saree herself while resisting arrest," he said, denying any wrongdoing by police personnel involved in the operation.
Police also stated that a separate complaint has been registered against Sujata, alleging that she misbehaved with two police personnel during the arrest and bit some of them. Officials maintained that the situation escalated because she attempted to resist arrest and later tried to flee, which led to a scuffle with the police team on the ground.
Further elaborating on her background, the Police Commissioner said Sujata has eight criminal cases registered against her, including two recent ones. One of these cases, according to the police, relates to an alleged attempt to murder one of her neighbours. The police said these details were being shared to provide context to the situation and to counter what they described as misleading allegations.
The incident has sparked sharp political reactions. BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari condemned the episode as “absolutely reprehensible and shocking” and alleged a “complete collapse of law and order” in Karnataka, demanding accountability and action against those responsible.
Police confirmed that Sujata is currently in judicial custody. Authorities said further legal procedures are underway and that all aspects of the incident are being examined, even as political tensions around the case continue to rise.
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