Didn’t happen even in era of Mahabharat: HC on stripping

BENGALURU: Atrocities like the recent public stripping of a woman in Karnataka’s Belagavi over her son’s elopement “had not happened even in the Mahabharat period when Lord Krishna came to Draupadi’s rescue as she was disrobed”, the Karnataka HC said on Thursday in observations steeped in the epics, Shakespeare and lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi’s indelible lines.
“In today’s world, if Duryodhanas/ Dushasanas come, no Krishna will come to help,” a division bench of Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice Krishna S Dixit said, expressing dissatisfaction with probe details and seeking an additional status report.
The 42-year-old ST woman was dragged out of her house around 1am on December 11, stripped, paraded, tied to an electric pole and thrashed for over two hours after her son eloped with his alleged girlfriend on December 4. The girl was to get engaged to another man on December 5. The victim is in hospital. Eight people have so far been arrested.
The HC took up the matter suo motu after media reports and directed the Belagavi police chief to be personally present along with the additional status report when it hears the case next. “We need full details. This will be treated as an extraordinary incident and will be dealt (in an) extraordinary way,” the bench said.Chief Justice Varale highlighted the woman’s trauma. “I have no words. Look at the trauma the lady might have undergone for two hours, stripped, tied to a pole, beaten like an animal. Shame to call them human beings. Even animals behave better,” the Chief Justice said.
The HC underscored the fact that “a very dangerous signal is being sent”. “For all valid reasons, the state was known as progressive. If this unfortunate incident can happen after independence, there is no fear of law. This may be one sorry incident, but why should even one such incident happen?” Chief Justice Varale said.