Karnataka Gang-Rape: Sixteen months ago in Haveri, Karnataka, a group of men stormed into the hotel room of an interfaith couple and allegedly gang-raped the woman after dragging her to a nearby forest. Recently, when the court granted bail to seven of the accused in 2025, they celebrated with a euphoric public procession featuring vehicles, motorcycles, music, and loud slogans.

During the demonstration in Haveri’s Akki Alur area, a convoy of cars and motorcycles escorted the freed men through local roads. Moreover, the footage of the suspects grinning and flashing victory signs has sparked widespread outrage.

Accused In The Case:
The Haveri Sessions Court recently granted bail to seven main suspects, Aftab Chandanakatti, Madar Saab Mandakki, Samiwulla Lalanavar, Mohammad Sadiq Agasimani, Shoib Mulla, Tausip Choti, and Riyaz Savikeri—who had spent several months in judicial custody following their arrest in connection with the gang rape of a 26-year-old woman.

Take a look at the video:

DEPRAVED: Gang rape accused on a victory procession after securing bail. Haveri tense. Bike rally featured 7 accused A1- Aptab Chandanakatti, A2- Madar Saab Mandakki, A3- Samiwulla Lalanavar, A7- Mohammad Sadiq Agasimani, A8- Shoib Mulla, A11- Tausip Choti, A13- Riyaz Savikeri pic.twitter.com/KxJD0EMrv0

— Rahul Shivshankar (@RShivshankar) May 23, 2025

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According to reports, the survivor, a minority community member, checked into a private hotel in Hanagal on January 8, 2024. She was reportedly in a long-term relationship with a 40-year-old Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) driver. Police investigations reveal that several men allegedly dragged her from the hotel and gang-raped her in a nearby forested area.

Survivor Statements:
After the survivor gave a detailed statement and initially identified the accused during an identification process, the police filed a case charging them with gang rape. However, she allegedly failed to confirm the accused’s names during later court proceedings, which weakened the prosecution’s case.

At the outset, the case was treated as an instance of moral policing because the survivor and her partner, an interfaith couple, were staying in a private hotel room. Consequently, the local police initially registered the case under that premise. It was only after the survivor submitted a written testimony to the magistrate on January 11 that police formally added the gang-rape charges.

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Authorities took 19 people into custody in connection with the crime, including the seven key accused. Reports indicate that twelve others either physically assaulted the survivor or assisted in facilitating the crime. Nearly ten months ago, the court granted bail to those twelve accused. Meanwhile, the remaining seven, considered the primary suspects, had their bail requests repeatedly denied until the most recent court ruling finally granted them bail.

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