Karnataka HC seeks additional status report in Belagavi woman assault case

The high court on Thursday asked the state government to file an additional status report in the Belagavi brutality in which a woman was paraded naked, tied to an electric pole and assaulted.

Bengaluru: The high court on Thursday asked the state government to file an additional status report on the Belagavi brutality in which a woman was allegedly paraded naked, tied to an electricity pole and assaulted.

“We are making it clear that this is an extraordinary case and it will get extraordinary treatment at our hands,” a division bench, comprising Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice Krishna S Dixit, said directing the Commissioner of Police, Belagavi, to remain present on the next date of hearing.

During the hearing, Advocate General (AG) Shashikiran Shetty submitted the status report before the court detailing the action taken by the police.

He stated that the investigation had been entrusted to an officer of the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP).

The bench said that the status report placed before it was too short on many aspects.

“At this stage, it may not be appropriate to indicate these areas and we have already indicated the same to the Advocate General orally to seek an additional status report. Least, we can say that we are not satisfied with the way things took place post the incident,” the bench said in its order.

During the hearing, the bench asked the AG to submit complete details, including as to what time the police received the information and from whom. “Very sorry to say that this reflects a deep-rooted male chauvinism,” the Chief Justice orally observed.

He further said, “I have no words. Look at the trauma the woman might have undergone for two hours. Stripped, tied to a pole and beaten like an animal. She was at the mercy of those people. It is shameful to even call them as human beings. How somebody can be so brutal, cruel, and inhuman…. Are they human beings? Even animals behave well. Is this the way humans behave?” he asked.

The chief justice further said, “Very dangerous signal is being sent that there is no fear of law. For all valid reasons, the state was known as a progressive state. If this is the unfortunate fall after independence, there is no fear of the law. This may be one sorry incident, but why should even one incident happen?” 

Mahabharata analogy

Justice Krishna Dixit said that unless one gets into the shoes of the victim, it is not possible to understand her trauma. “What will other women feel? Any sensible woman, who reads this news, will start hating this country and justifiably,” he said.

Drawing an analogy from Mahabharata, Justice Dixit said that there was at least Lord Krishna to help Draupadi. “In today’s world, if Duryodhanas/Dushyashana come, no Krishna will come to help,” the bench said, asking the state if the victim was counselled to help her come out of the trauma.

The court also asked if there is any protocol for carrying out counselling the victim post such incidents.