Loud music, celebratory slogans and a vehicle rally with bikes and cars taken out to greet the seven alleged rapists of a girl involved in an inter-faith marriage in a hotel room in Karnataka’s Haveri, has sparked an outrage among people and on social media space.
Screengrab: X/@TimesAlgebraIND
Loud music, celebratory slogans and a vehicle rally with bikes and cars taken out to greet the seven alleged rapists of a girl involved in an inter-faith marriage in a hotel room in Karnataka’s Haveri, has sparked an outrage among people and on social media space.
Police are confirming the veracity of the celebratory rally that reportedly traversed the city for 25 km from the Haveri sub-jail to Akki Alur town of Haveri and is being played out on social media. This video sparked a furore and outrage on social media. Some 20 people participated in the victory rally through the city.
Advertisement
The original horrific gang rape incident in which several men barged into a hotel, entered the room of an interfaith couple, pulled the woman out and took her to a nearby forest and repeatedly gang raped her, dates back to January 8 last year.
Advertisement
The victim later told the magistrates that the accused took her away from the hotel, assaulted her, and dropped her near a lodge. The lodge staff reported the incident on January 10, leading to the FIR, including gang rape.
Nineteen people were arrested in the case, and over time, 12 were released as the victim could not positively identify the accused, and hence they were let off on bail. Subsequently, the release on bail of the seven prime accused and the subsequent victory rally shocked the people.
The seven prime accused in the alleged gang rape case, Aftab Chandanakatti, Madar Saab Mandakki, Samiwulla Lalanavar, Mohammad Sadiq Agasimani, Shoib Mulla, Tausip Choti, and Riyaz Savikeri, have all been in custody since their arrest last year.
The 26-year-old victim, belonging to the minority community, was said to be in a relationship with a 40-year-old KSRTC driver, and the duo had checked into a private hotel in Hangal on January 8, 2024. Police investigations revealed that the woman was dragged from the hotel to a nearby forest and was allegedly gangraped.
Although at first, the case was registered as one of moral policing, gang rape charges were added after the victim stated what had happened in the court.
But during the proceedings later in the court, the girl reportedly failed to affirm the identities of the accused and thereby weakened the case.
Advertisement
