Karnataka: 16 Dalits locked up and tortured for days; Pregnant woman loses baby

A total of 16 Dalit people were locked up for days in a coffee plantation in Chikkamagaluru district owned by a BJP supporter in Karnataka, according to a NDTV report.

Jagadeesha Gowda, a staunch BJP supporter tortured the victims as they were kept captive by him. During the torture, one of the victims, a pregnant woman, lost her baby due to assault.

A police case has been registered and the woman is undergoing treatment at the district hospital.

Both, Jagadeesha Gowda and his son Tilak Gowda are on a run and a search operation is on as a case has been registered under the law against atrocities on Dalits.

BJP's reaction:

The BJP has distanced itself from the man. The party's district spokesperson dismissed claims that he is a party leader. "Neither is Jagadeesh a party worker nor a member. He's just a BJP supporter. He is just like any other voter," said Varasiddhi Venugopal.

Details about the Dalits:

The victims were working as daily wagers at the coffee plantation in Jenugadde village. The police said they had borrowed money from the owner, amounting to Rs 9 lakh but failing to repay the loan, they were locked up.

"On October 8, a few people came to Balehonnur police station, alleging their relatives were being tortured by Jagadeesh Gowda. But later that day, they withdrew the complaint," a senior police officer said.

The officer investigating this case confirmed that when he had visited the spot, he saw at least 8-10 people kept locked up in a room. They were released after the police questioned the owner.

Uma Prashanth, the Superintendent of Police, Chikkamagaluru district, said the workers had borrowed money from Jagadeesha Gowda.

Published on: Tuesday, October 11, 2022, 06:00 PM IST