Bengaluru, January 8, 2026 – The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka escalated its confrontation with the state government on Thursday, demanding a high-level judicial inquiry into the alleged stripping and assault of a female party worker by police during an arrest in Hubballi. The incident, which surfaced through a viral video, has ignited a fierce political row, with the opposition accusing the Congress-led administration of fostering a "collapse of law and order" and endangering women's safety.
The controversy centers on Sujata Handi, a BJP worker from Chalukya Nagar in Hubballi, who was arrested on January 5 in connection with an attempted murder case stemming from a clash during a local survey for the Sri Ram Sene (SIR) on January 1. The survey reportedly involved mapping and voter list revisions, leading to arguments, abuse, and assaults among locals, resulting in three FIRs, including one for attempted murder filed by resident Prashanth Bommaji. Handi, who faces nine prior cases across stations—five from last year alone, mostly for assaults—allegedly resisted arrest, leading to a chaotic scene captured on video.
According to BJP leaders, police personnel, including male officers, disrobed Handi during the arrest at Keshwapur Police Station limits, tearing her clothes and assaulting her in a van packed with over 20 officers. A video circulating on social media shows her surrounded by male and female constables on a bus, appearing partially disrobed and in distress, prompting widespread outrage. The party likened the police action to the infamous disrobing of Draupadi in the Mahabharata, branding officers as "Dushasana" and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah as a "blind Dhritarashtra."
In a fiery press conference in Bengaluru, Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka condemned the incident as a "mirror reflecting the collapse of law and order," alleging it was orchestrated at the behest of local Congress corporator Suvarna Kallakuntla, who reportedly obstructed the voter list process. "When there were 20 policemen inside the van, it is not possible for a woman to remove her own clothes," Ashoka asserted, criticizing the CM's premature remarks that Handi had undressed herself. He warned of statewide protests, vowing to lead a demonstration in Hubballi on Friday if the involved inspector and officers are not suspended by 10 a.m. on January 9, dubbing the government a "Dushasana regime."
Ashoka also highlighted a pattern of violence against women under the Siddaramaiah government, referencing a Dalit woman's stripping during the Belagavi Assembly session and a minor's rape in Mysuru. He has written to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and National Commission for Women (NCW), demanding immediate intervention. The NCW, in response, has sought an action-taken report from Karnataka police within five days.
Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner N. Shashikumar categorically denied the misconduct allegations, claiming Handi attacked four woman constables, bit Sub-Inspector Kalavati on the stomach, and removed her own clothes to resist being taken into custody. "The news of police misbehaving with her is completely incorrect," he told reporters on Wednesday, adding that locals and officers helped clothe her immediately after. A second video has emerged supporting the police version, showing Handi disrobing herself en route to the station, though BJP dismissed it as fabricated. Handi is now in judicial custody, and police have filed an FIR against nine individuals, including Kallakuntla, for obstructing duties.
The fallout spilled onto the streets Wednesday, with BJP leaders, including Hubballi-Dharwad Mayor Jyoti Patil and Deputy Mayor Santosh Chavan, protesting outside Keshwapur station and courting arrest as a "precautionary measure." Hubballi MLA Mahesh Tenginakai echoed calls for suspending all involved officers before any probe, accusing the force of "inhuman" bias toward Congress affiliates.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, addressing the uproar, blamed Handi for the episode, stating she had "removed her own clothes" and urging restraint from politicizing the matter. Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, whom Ashoka accused of unlawfully influencing police meetings, has not commented publicly yet.
The Karnataka State Women's Commission has preliminarily sided with police, noting they provided Handi clothes promptly, though critics like Ashoka decried this as a "clean chit" without a full investigation. As tensions simmer, the incident has amplified broader concerns over police accountability and gender sensitivity in the state, with BJP threatening to intensify its campaign if justice is delayed.
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