A massive political row has erupted in Hubballi, Karnataka, after BJP worker Sujatha Handi accused Keshwapur police of physical assault and stripping her on Wednesday, 7 January 2026.
The incident occurred during her arrest following a confrontation over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) voter list drive.
While Handi claims police brutality, the Hubballi–Dharwad police categorically deny the charges, stating she resisted arrest and stripped herself to evade legal action. With high-level officials reviewing video evidence, the case has become a flashpoint for BJP-Congress tensions in the state.
Allegations Of Brutality
Sujatha Handi, a BJP worker involved in the local voter list revision, alleged that police personnel manhandled and humiliated her inside a police vehicle.
According to her statement, the assault was triggered by a complaint from Congress corporator Suvarna Kallakuntla, who objected to Handi’s presence during the official door-to-door verification process.
Handi claims that when she questioned the procedural bias, the Keshwapur police intervened forcefully, leading to an incident where she was allegedly stripped. A video circulating on social media showing her inside a bus surrounded by officers has further intensified public and political outrage.
Police Rebuttal
The police department has presented a drastically different account of the events. Police Commissioner N. Shashikumar and DCP Mahanand Nandagavi stated that Handi was being taken into custody for an “attempt to murder” case (Section 307) and for obstructing public servants.
Authorities claim that she bit four officers and kicked them in their private parts during the arrest. “She stripped herself and created high drama to escape,” the DCP asserted, adding that women constables immediately moved to cover her.
Police have also highlighted Handi’s history of nine previous cases, including allegations of blackmailing and honeytrapping, to contest her credibility.
Voter List Revision
The root of the conflict lies in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) drive, where Congress corporator Suvarna Kallakuntla alleged that BJP workers were illegally influencing Booth Level Officers (BLO).
Kallakuntla claimed that citizens were being arbitrarily deleted from the rolls and that BJP members were intimidating those who objected. On the other hand, a local citizen, Prashant Bommajji, filed a complaint alleging he was assaulted by Handi’s group.
This volatile mix of electoral stakes and personal animosities has turned a routine administrative exercise into a legal and political battleground involving top state leaders.
High-Level Probe
Following the viral nature of the allegations, senior officials including the Police Commissioner have visited Keshwapur Police Station to review CCTV and body-camera footage. A medico-legal case has been registered to document the injuries sustained by both the police personnel and the accused.
While the BJP leadership in Karnataka has termed the incident “shameful” and a sign of “police high-handedness,” Chief Minister Siddaramaiah defended the police’s right to act against those who obstruct the law. A final report is expected once all video evidence is verified, though the political damage remains extensive.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
At The Logical Indian, we believe that every individual, regardless of their political leanings or legal history, deserves to be treated with dignity and fairness by the state.
The conflicting narratives in Hubballi, of police brutality on one side and staged drama on the other, are a symptom of a deeply polarised society where the police are often caught in political crossfire.
We advocate for a transparent, impartial investigation that relies on objective video evidence rather than political rhetoric. If an officer has failed in their duty, they must be held accountable; if a citizen has staged a false accusation, the law must take its course.
Also Read: Uttarakhand Bandh on January 11 as Protests Intensify Over Ankita Bhandari Murder Case Across State
