Hangal rape accused won’t be spared: Siddaramaiah

Haveri: Saying that the police have already arrested seven suspects in Hangal gang-rape case, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah clarified on Monday that there was no question of shielding anyone involved in the heinous incident.

He said this speaking to reporters on the sidelines of 6th Sharana Samskruti Utsava at Narasipur in the taluk.

Reacting to former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai's statement that the government was trying to hush up the case, Siddaramaiah said, "There was no question of sparing the perpetrators. We will take stringent action against those who take law into their hands irrespective of the caste and faith they belong to."

On the BJP's demand for a probe by the special investigation team (SIT), the CM said, "The police are investigating the case now and those who will be part of the SIT will also be the police. We cannot constitute just because Bommai and a few other BJP leaders are demanding..."

Replying to a query on the gang-rape survivor being shifted in a hurry to her native on Sunday without even providing her the necessary medical treatment while a suspect being treated at the district hospital, the chief minister said that he had spoken to Byadagi MLA Shivanna and necessary steps would be taken to provide her the treatment.

The family members of the survivor met the CM on Monday and submitted a request to provide her the compensation and initiate a stringent action against the accused.