In a disturbing case that has shocked the Hubballi-Dharwad region, police have arrested three men following the alleged rape of a 35-year-old woman and the subsequent circulation of videos of the assault on social media.
According to Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar, the incident took place late on the night of January 9. The victim, who had been living near local temples and seeking meals at the Siddharoodha Math after a domestic dispute left her homeless, was reportedly lured into an auto-rickshaw near Ambedkar Ground. Police say two men, identified as Shivanand and Ganesh, forced her to consume alcohol and assaulted her before recording the act and dropping her back at the same location.
The crime came to light only after a third man, Pradeep, allegedly began circulating the footage on messaging platforms. When local residents saw the videos, they alerted the authorities. Because the woman’s identity was initially a mystery, police had to track her down across the city before filing a formal complaint.
The fallout from the video's release took a violent turn in the Old Hubballi area. Angry locals who recognised the men in the footage reportedly tracked down Shivanand and Ganesh, assaulting them and forcibly shaving their heads. Consequently, the police have had to register a second case regarding this vigilante action, leading to the detention of four residents.
All three primary suspects, who work as local labourers, are now in custody and face charges ranging from rape to violations of the Information Technology Act. In the wake of the tragedy, Commissioner Shashi Kumar has ordered a city-wide effort to identify vulnerable homeless women and children staying in public spaces to ensure they are moved into secure rehabilitation centres.
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