Ashoka Seeks Judicial Probe, Suspension Of Inspector In Hubballi Police Van Disrobing Case
Speaking to the media, Ashoka questioned the police version of events and said people want to know the truth behind the incident.
Hubballi: Stating that the alleged disrobing of a woman party worker inside a police van has drawn national attention, Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka on Friday demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident and also place the police inspector concerned under suspension.
BJP leaders, including Ashoka, Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Council Chalavadi T Narayanaswamy, and Legislative Council member Bharathi Shetty, visited the worker’s residence in Hubballi on Friday. The leaders also participated in a protest condemning the incident.
Speaking to the media, Ashoka questioned the police version of events and said people want to know the truth behind the incident.
“Police officials are claiming that the woman removed her clothes herself. If that is the case, were the police mute spectators? When around 40 police personnel were present, the vehicle belonged to the police and the driver was also theirs, could not they have prevented it?” he asked, calling the claim false.
Ashoka also questioned the deployment of a large police force to detain a single woman. “Was she a terrorist? The issue was related to the electoral process. The woman, who was earlier associated with the Congress, is now with the BJP and was serving as a Booth Level Agent (BLA-2). This was allegedly not accepted by the local Congress corporator, who, he claimed, pressured the police to arrest her,” he said.
He demanded that the case be handed over for a judicial inquiry and insisted that until then, the inspector concerned and all police personnel present inside the van be placed under suspension.
“Our party worker was taken in a police van with 40 personnel. But the Congress corporator was taken in an Innova car,” he pointed.
Ashoka also criticised the State Women’s Commission, alleging that its chairperson had issued statements from Bengaluru claiming that nothing had happened instead of standing up for the woman.
Speaking on the occasion, Legislative Council Opposition Leader Chalavadi T Narayanaswamy said a councillor’s complaint had led to the woman’s arrest. He demanded that the police conduct a thorough probe and explain what exactly transpired during the arrest.
He termed the incident a matter of national shame and noted that even the National Commission for Women had taken suo motu cognisance of the case and issued a notice. “It is our duty to pursue this matter and ensure it is properly examined,” he said.
