Woman and daughter are attacked by neighbors over suspicion of running a prostitution business

In Belagavi district, Karnataka, a mother and her daughter were attacked by their neighbors on suspicion of involvement in prostitution. The attack took place in Vaddarawadi locality, within the jurisdiction of Malamaruti police station.

According to the victim, who has lived in the area for four years, neighbors burst into her home, dragged her and the woman outside and physically assaulted them. The attackers claimed that strangers regularly visited her home. During the attack, the woman’s clothes were torn in public and the act was recorded on mobile phones, according to a report on IANS.

She claimed that despite the severity of the attack, local police initially refused to register the complaint for two days. The woman said she then approached the Belagavi city police commissioner and filed a petition detailing her fear for her life.

On the commissioner’s orders, local police finally filed a complaint against three people late Friday evening, India Today reported. The case has been filed under Sections 115(2), 3(5), 331, 352 and 74 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Act. The investigation is now ongoing and authorities are preparing to question the suspect.

This incident follows another episode from December 2023 in which a 42-year-old woman in Belagavi was dragged from her home, stripped naked and tied to an electricity pole. The attack was reportedly in retaliation for her son eloping with a girl from the village. The incident, which took place near the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha during the winter session of the Assembly, caused widespread outrage and embarrassment among the state government. Later, police arrested seven suspects over the incident. The suspects were related to the girl. Karnataka Home Minister Parameshwara visited the victim and expressed his displeasure. He later called the incident regrettable.