BJP Woman Alleges Assault and Torn Clothes During Detention; Police Reject Charges Saying “She Removed Her Clothes”

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A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) woman worker alleged that she was assaulted and partially stripped by police while being detained on January 5, 2026, in Karnataka’s Hubballi. She was arrested following a clash between Congress and BJP workers linked to the voter list revision exercise. A video of the incident, showing the woman inside a bus surrounded by male and female police officers, surfaced on social media, triggering sharp public reactions.

The BJP has claimed that its worker, identified as Sujatha Handi, also known as Vijayalakshmi Handi, was manhandled by police personnel during her arrest. The party alleged that her clothes were torn and that she was assaulted while resisting detention. The incident occurred within the jurisdiction of the Keshvapur police station in Hubballi.

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According to preliminary information, the arrest followed a complaint filed by Hubballi–Dharwad Congress corporator Suvarna Kallakuntla, allegedly linked to disputes that arose during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls.

The Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner, N. Shashikumar, however, rejected the allegations outright. Addressing reporters, he said the woman had stripped herself while being taken into custody and had assaulted police personnel. “While the arrest process was underway, there was a lot of resistance from her and also from people connected with her. In the process, she bit one of our sub-inspectors, and three to four of our staff were badly assaulted and obstructed from performing their duties,” the Commissioner said.

He added that the arrest was made in connection with an attempted murder case filed by a local resident. “On January 5, one woman was taken into custody. She was arrested in one of the cases lodged by a local resident in an attempted murder case, where she had brutally attacked another person,” he said.

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The police commissioner also explained the video that went viral on social media. “Regarding the video being circulated, while she was being taken to the police vehicle, she was wearing clothes. After she was taken inside the vehicle, she removed her clothes and threw them away,” he said. He added that female police personnel arranged clothes for her and made her wear them.

The Commissioner further stated that Sujatha Handi has nine cases registered against her, five of which were filed last year and four this year. He denied allegations of police misconduct and said the circulation of the video was obscene and unlawful.

The episode has intensified political tensions in the region amid ongoing disputes between Congress and BJP workers over voter list revisions. While the BJP continues to allege police excesses, the Karnataka Police maintain that the allegations are false and that the woman removed her clothes herself while resisting arrest. Investigations into the incident are ongoing.

[VP]

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