Hubballi: A controversy has erupted in Karnataka after a BJP woman functionary alleged that police personnel disrobed her during her arrest in Hubballi in connection with an attack on government officials. The police, however, have strongly refuted the allegation, claiming that the woman removed her clothes herself and assaulted officers during the arrest, causing injuries.
A video purportedly showing the woman topless has gone viral on social media, triggering widespread outrage and political reactions.
Addressing the media on Wednesday, Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner N Shashikumar dismissed the allegations, stating that the woman disrobed herself while inside the police vehicle and bit four police personnel, including two sub-inspectors, causing serious injuries to their abdomen.
According to police sources, the incident is linked to the alleged encroachment of government land. Revenue officials, accompanied by police personnel, had gone to the area to clear the encroachment when they were allegedly attacked by the occupants. Three separate cases were registered in connection with the incident, and the woman was named as a key accused in one of them.
When a police team went to arrest her, she allegedly resisted and attacked the officers. The police claimed they overpowered her and placed her inside the police vehicle.
Subsequently, videos surfaced showing the woman without clothes on her upper body. She alleged that the police had disrobed her during the arrest.
Refuting the claim, Commissioner Shashikumar provided a detailed account of the events. He said that the incident occurred in Chalukya Nagar area of Keshwapur in Hubballi, where government officials had gone to conduct a land survey. During the exercise, a group of people allegedly picked a quarrel with the officials and attacked them.
In one of the cases registered, the investigating officer decided to arrest the woman involved. Anticipating possible resistance, the officer deployed eight to ten women police officers and staff and exercised restraint and precaution while effecting the arrest, Shashikumar said.
Despite these measures, the woman allegedly removed her clothes inside the police vehicle. The women officers present sought assistance from local residents and arranged an alternative dress for her. The police repeatedly requested her to wear the clothes provided, he added.
“The allegation against the police is absolutely false and made with malicious intent. I have personally verified the sequence of events,” Shashikumar said.
He further stated that he has directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police to conduct a thorough inquiry into the entire sequence of events from January 1 to January 5.
Shashikumar also revealed that the woman has around nine criminal cases pending against her and has been remanded to judicial custody.
Four women police officers were injured during the altercation, he said. Two of them sustained serious injuries after being bitten in the abdomen, while two others suffered minor injuries. Additionally, three to four male police personnel were also injured, though they did not file complaints, he added.
“While male staff chose not to lodge complaints, two women police officers who were seriously injured have filed formal complaints,” the police commissioner said.
With PTI inputs