A political and administrative controversy erupted in Karnataka after a BJP woman functionary alleged that police personnel disrobed her during her arrest in Hubballi, a charge strongly denied by the police, who claimed she removed her clothes herself and assaulted officers, causing injuries.
The incident came to light after a video showing the woman topless inside a police vehicle went viral on social media, triggering sharp reactions and allegations against the police. The woman claimed she was forcibly disrobed by police personnel during her arrest in connection with an alleged attack on government officials.
Rejecting the allegations, Hubballi–Dharwad Police Commissioner N Shashikumar said on Wednesday that the claims were “absolutely false” and motivated. He asserted that the woman disrobed herself after being placed inside the police vehicle and also attacked police officers, including biting four of them.
According to police, the incident stemmed from an operation to clear an alleged encroachment on government land in the Chalukya Nagar area of Keshwapur in Hubballi. When revenue officials arrived with police personnel to conduct a land survey, they were allegedly attacked by occupants, leading to the registration of three separate cases. The woman was named as a key accused in one of them.
Commissioner Shashikumar said that anticipating possible resistance, the investigating officer had taken adequate precautions and deployed eight to ten women police personnel to carry out the arrest. “Despite this, once she was inside the police vehicle, she unclothed herself. Women police staff sought help from local residents and arranged alternative clothing for her, repeatedly requesting her to change,” he said.
He added that four women police officers were injured during the scuffle, with two sustaining serious bite injuries to the abdomen. Two others also suffered injuries, while several male personnel were hurt but chose not to file complaints. The injured women officers have lodged formal complaints.
The police commissioner said the woman has around nine criminal cases pending against her and has been sent to judicial custody. However, to ensure transparency, he has directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police to conduct a detailed inquiry into the sequence of events between January 1 and 5.
The incident has drawn political reactions across the state, with opposition parties demanding accountability, while police maintain that the viral video presents a misleading narrative detached from the actual sequence of events.
