Karnataka horror: Gang-rape accused freed, flaunt bail with victory parade

(Representative Image)

In a deeply disturbing turn of events, seven men accused of a brutal gang-rape in Karnataka’s Haveri district were recently granted bail—and marked their release with a loud, public victory parade.

The spectacle, complete with bike rallies, car convoys, music, and celebratory gestures, has triggered nationwide anger and raised fresh concerns about justice for survivors of sexual violence.

The accused had spent over a year behind bars in connection with the January 2024 assault of a 26-year-old woman, who was dragged out of a hotel room she shared with her partner and allegedly gang-raped in a nearby forest, reported NDTV.

The couple’s interfaith relationship had initially made them targets of moral policing, but the incident quickly escalated into one of the state’s most heinous crimes in recent memory.

On the day of their release, the accused—Aftab Chandanakatti, Madar Saab Mandakki, Samiwulla Lalanavar, Mohammad Sadiq Agasimani, Shoib Mulla, Tausif Choti, and Riyaz Savikeri—were seen waving to crowds and flashing victory signs. Videos of their celebratory procession through Akki Alur town went viral, drawing widespread condemnation from citizens, women’s rights groups, and opposition parties.

Police had originally downplayed the crime as an instance of vigilantism. It was only after the survivor gave a formal statement before a magistrate that gang-rape charges were added. Yet during trial proceedings, her inability to confirm the identity of the attackers weakened the case, allowing the accused to walk free.

In total, 19 people were arrested—seven for direct involvement in the rape, and 12 others for aiding or assaulting the woman.