Four men named as accused in an FIR have been detained for questioning in connection with the death of a 21-year-old Dalit woman, who was allegedly kidnapped, raped and murdered before her body was dumped in an open well at Hokrani village in Sirwar taluk of Karnataka’s Raichur district.
Raichur Superintendent of Police Arunangshu Giri confirmed that the four men named in the FIR had been detained and were being interrogated.
The FIR was registered at Sirwar police station on Thursday based on a complaint filed by the woman’s family.
Police have also confirmed that the accused were known to the family and were from the same village.
Inspector-General of Police, Ballari Range, visited Hokrani village and reviewed the investigation. Raichur Deputy Commissioner Poovitha S also met the woman’s family and assured them of strict action, safety measures and compensation.
On Thursday morning, the family was informed that a woman’s body had been found in an open well in an agricultural area. They reached the spot and identified the body as that of the 21-year-old woman.
The FIR records injuries to her face and other parts of her body and states that she was found lying face down in the well.
The complaint alleges that the four accused kidnapped the woman, sexually assaulted her and subsequently killed her before dumping her body in the well. Police are investigating the allegations and the circumstances surrounding her death.
A case has been registered under Sections 137(2) (kidnapping), 103(1) (murder), 70 (gang rape), 238 (causing disappearance of evidence) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita along with Section 3(2)(v) of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2015.
The incident has triggered protests, with Dalit organisations demanding swift action against those responsible.
