K'taka woman assault case: NCW, BJP MPs delegations meet victim

Belagavi: Delegations of the National Commission for Women and the fact-finding committee of BJP MPs on Saturday met with the Dalit victim who was stripped and paraded naked in Karnataka's Belagavi district.

The delegation, led by Delina Khongdup, a member of the NCW, visited the 42-year-old victim at the Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences (BIMS) hospital to collect details regarding the incident.

The team was accompanied by the Belagavi district Commissioner, Superintendent of Police, Belagavi city Police Commissioner and district health officers.

According to sources, recounting the horror, the victim said had the police not intervened, the accused would have hacked her to death.

The team obtained first-hand details from the victim about how the incident unfolded, who visited their house, the reason behind the attack, and whether there was any involvement of invisible hands.

The victim's statements were video-recorded and the team assured her of all necessary support and justice.

The fact-finding committee of BJP MPs, formed by BJP National President J. P. Nadda and comprising MPs Aparajit Sarangi, Sunita Duggal, Ranjita Kohli, Locket Chaterjee, and BJP national secretary Asha Lakda, also visited the victim at the hospital and later went to her village and residence.

The committee engaged in extensive discussions with the victim, followed by conversations with family members and relatives in the village. Upon completing the probe, the committee plans to submit a report to the BJP National General Secretary and Karnataka in-charge Arun Singh.

Nadda, via video conferencing, gathered information from the BJP MPs' fact-finding committee and criticised Chief Minister Siddaramaiah-led Congress government for failing to protect women.

Belagavi BJP District President Sanjay Patil, Chikkodi BJP President Rajesh Nerli, Belagavi Mayor Shobha Somanache, Deputy Mayor Reshma Patil, MP Annasaheb Jolle, MLAs Shashikala Jolle, Abhay Patil, and others welcomed the BJP fact-finding committee members.

The incident occurred on December 10 when the woman, a resident of Vantamuri village, was dragged outside her home, stripped naked, and paraded. She was then tied to an electric pole and assaulted, reportedly because her son had eloped with a girl from the village. The terror was unleashed on the boy's mother by the family members of the girl.

Following the incident, the Congress government announced Rs 5 lakh compensation for the victim, and the Belagavi District Legal Authority will provide Rs 50,000 to her.