Three men arrested in Karnataka's Hubballi over rape, circulation of videos

Hubballi, Karnataka: A 35-year-old woman was allegedly raped by two men, and photos and videos of the incident were circulated on a messaging platform, police said on Sunday.

Two men accused of raping the woman and a third person who circulated videos of the incident have been arrested and will be produced in court, police said.

The woman is stable and undergoing medical examination, police said.

Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar said the incident occurred between 11.30 pm and midnight on January 9, when the woman was allegedly taken in an auto-rickshaw from Ambedkar Ground.

"The two men misbehaved with her, made physical contact, and allegedly forced her to consume alcohol. They took photos and videos before dropping her back at Ambedkar Ground," he said.

Police said they learned of the incident after members of the public received the photos and videos and alerted authorities. The woman was later traced in Hubballi city.

"Her identity was initially not known. Inquiry revealed she had been staying near temples in different parts of the city for the past one-and-a-half months and was eating at Siddharoodha Math," the commissioner said.

Police initially registered a case on their own, and a formal complaint was recorded after the woman was traced, he said.

Based on the complaint, a case was registered for rape and, under the provisions of the Information Technology Act, for recording and circulating the photos and videos.

The commissioner stated that the woman had arrived in Hubballi approximately one and a half months prior from another district, following a dispute with her husband.

The man was arrested in connection with that incident and is currently lodged in Shivamogga jail.

Police identified Shivanand and Ganesh as the accused in the alleged rape, and Pradeep as the accused of circulating the videos. All three worked as labourers, he said.

Police said some residents in the Old Hubballi area allegedly assaulted and tonsured Shivanand and Ganesh after learning of their involvement.

A separate case was registered after Shivanand filed a complaint, and four people were taken into custody, police said.

The commissioner said officials have been directed to identify homeless women and children near public places and place them in rescue and rehabilitation centres.