The Belthangady police have booked a case against nine people, including a BJP leader, for stripping and assaulting a woman from a tribal community.
The accused people have been identified as Sandeep, Santhosh, Lokaiah, Gulabi, Kusuma, Suguna, Anil, Lalitha and Chennakeshava.
The heinous incident occurred on April 19 in front of several villagers at Guripalla village in Belthangady taluk of the district.
According to police, the suspects created a commotion after revenue officials reached the village to survey government land following an application submitted by the victim-woman under 94C. They forced surveyors to abandon work and assaulted the applicant's elder sister. When the victim rushed to her rescue, the gang tore her clothes and also made a video of the incident.
The Belthangady police have registered a case and are investigating it.
Meanwhile, expressing anguish against the atrocity on a tribal woman near Dharmasthala, former minister B T Lalitha Naik sought to know why Dharmasthala Dharmadikari Veerendra Heggade was silent on the heinous crime.
"Do pilgrim centres like Dharmasthala and Tirupati exist only to tonsure heads and get donations/offerings? They should extend a minimum courtesy by comforting the victims of such incidents, she told reporters in Mysuru.
The Dharmadhikari should advise the people against such incidents, she added.
It is unfortunate that the organisations like Sri Rama Sene and Bajrang Dal are running the government. They are creating disharmony in society and destroying the spirit of brotherhood, she lamented.
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