Karnataka: Former CM Bommai demands SIT probe in gang rape incidents

Bengaluru: Stating that it is impossible to get justice for the sexually assaulted victims from the local police of various districts, former Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday demanded that a Special Investigation Team be constituted to probe the gang rape incidents.
Addressing a press conference at the party office here on Saturday, he wanted the government to get the incidents investigated by the senior police officers, complete them within the stipulated time, and then file a charge sheet to ensure the maximum punishment for the accused.
Speaking on the recent incident in Haveri, where a couple was assaulted, he said, "So far, only three persons have been arrested in connection with the Haveri incident, and why not all the miscreants? The BJP women's delegation would visit Haveri to collect information. The court also be requested to seek a proper inquiry."
Bommai said law and order machinery has collapsed completely in the state, and the common people, including women, were unable to move freely.
"In Bengaluru alone, the crime against women has increased by 30 percent. Rape, extortion, and violence have increased. Women were not safe, even in rural areas. Many cases pertaining to women have been hushed up. The police have become mute spectators. Even while the Belagavi session was going on, a woman in a village near the Suvarna Soudha had been allegedly beaten up and stripped in public. This shows that the miscreants have no fear of the government or the police. Is visiting the hospital to meet the victim sufficient? So far, a proper inquiry has not been done and many of the accused are still at large. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah hasn't taken any steps despite what has happened to a Dalit woman," Bommai said.
Bommai characterized Karnataka as having descended into a state of "Jungle Raj," attributing the rise of illegal clubs to local Congress leaders.
He raised questions about the arrests of individuals in Hubballi without filed cases, the sexual assault of a five-year-old girl in Kolar, and the gang rape of a minority community woman in Haveri. Bommai criticized Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's silence on these incidents and concluded by deeming Karnataka a state under "Jungle Raj."
"In Hubballi, the Kar Sevaks had been arrested even though cases were not filed against them. Even the leader of the opposition has been arrested and booked. In Kolar, a five-year-old girl had been sexually assaulted by five people, and she was undergoing treatment. A similar gang had gang-raped a minority community woman in Haveri. Why CM Siddaramaiah has been tight-lipped in this incident," he added.
Former Deputy Chief Minister Govind Karjol, Ashwath Narayana; MLA SRVishwanath, and other leaders were present.