There was a great deal of resentment over what many called a "hero's welcome" for seven men who were released from jail last week after being charged with gang rape in Karnataka's Haveri district. Their supporters welcomed them with joyous processions. Before securing bail from the Haveri sessions court on Tuesday, the men, who are suspected of gang-raping a 26-year-old woman in January 2024, had been detained for several months. The parade took place at Haveri, Akki Alur, where the released people were escorted by a convoy of cars and motorcycles on the local roads. Outrage has been triggered by the footage, which shows the accused grinning and waving victory signs.
Aftab Chandanakatti, Madar Saab Mandakki, Samiwulla Lalanavar, Shoib Mulla, Tausip Choti, Mohammad Sadiq Agasimani, and Riyaz Savikeri were named as the accused. The celebrations caused widespread outrage and condemnation, especially from women's rights organisations and legal experts who pointed out that such activity might have been against the terms of the bail. Anshu Kumar Srivastava, the Haveri Superintendent of Police, said that the accused has been charged with unlawful assembly and reckless driving in relation to the celebratory procession. Srivastava said that police will file a rowdy-sheet against these accused and will appeal to the court to cancel their bail, reported The Times of India.
The case started out as a moral policing issue at a private Hangal lodge involving an interfaith couple. But when the victim told authorities that seven men had pulled her into a nearby forest and attacked her, it was termed as gang-rape. She later recognised the accused at an official identification parade held in front of the Hangal tahsildar after restating the same account in front of a magistrate in accordance with Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code. In 2024, the survivor also confirmed the identities of her claimed attackers in an interview with the media. She allegedly withdrew or failed to support her prior testimony during this year's court proceedings, which the public prosecutor claimed was the last reason why bail was granted, reported The Times of India.
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About 80 witnesses, including forensic specialists, medical professionals, and employees of the private lodge, provided testimonies as part of the police inquiry, which was headed by Additional SP C Gopal at the time. Supported by tangible evidence, including DNA tests, hair strands, bloodstains, clothing articles, CCTV footage, and more, the chargesheet was more than 1,000 pages long. Nineteen people were detained in relation to the case; seven were the main suspects in the gang rape, while twelve more were charged with aiding and abetting the act or abusing the victim. About ten months ago, bail was granted to the latter group, reported TOI.
The public celebrations have rekindled worries about accountability, witness protection, and victim safety in well-known cases of sexual assault. Activists are demanding support systems for survivors who might be under pressure or threatened to change their testimony, as well as court oversight of the bail process. In view of the circumstances that have transpired since the release, the Karnataka Police claim they are using every legal option to hold the accused accountable for their post-bail behaviour and would ask the court to reevaluate its ruling.