BJP Supporter Locks 16 Dalits In Karnataka, Pregnant Woman Loses Baby

In the Chikkamagaluru district of Karnataka, Jagadeesha Gowda, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporter, has been accused of imprisoning 16 Dalits for days in his coffee plantation. The police claimed that one of them, a pregnant woman, lost her unborn child as a result of the assault.

The woman is being treated at the district hospital, and a police report has been filed. Jagadeesha Gowda and his son Tilak Gowda have been reportedly named in a complaint filed under the law against atrocities committed against Dalits. The police reported that both are missing and that they are being searched.

The BJP is no longer supporting the individual. Varasiddhi Venugopal, the party's district spokesperson dismissed claims that he is a party leader. He said, "Neither is Jagadeesh a party worker nor a member. He's just a BJP supporter. He is just like any other voter."

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16 Dalits Locked Up In Karnataka

The survivors worked at the coffee farm in the village of Jenugadde. According to the police, they had a loan of Rs. 9 lakh from the owner. They were imprisoned after failing to pay back the loan. A senior police officer said, " On October 8, a few people came to Balehonnur police station, alleging their relatives were being tortured by Jagadeesh Gowda. But later that day, they withdrew the complaint."

The next day, the pregnant woman was admitted to the local hospital, and a new complaint was made to the Chikkamagaluru police chief. The officer added, "We registered a First Information Report after the SP referred the case to us."

Arpitha is the woman, who was expecting and lost her baby. She claimed that when she was put under house arrest for one day, she suffered from the physical and verbal assault. She further stated that Gowda had taken her phone. According to her mother's statements to the media, Jagadeesha Gowda beat both her daughter and her husband. She said, "Her daughter was two months pregnant. She has now lost her child as a result."

The officer looking into this matter confirmed that when he visited the scene, he noticed at least 8–10 people being confined in a room and locked up. The cops questioned the owner before releasing them. For the last 15 days, they were placed under house arrest. There are four families, totalling 16 people, and all of them belong to a scheduled caste. All 16 were placed under house arrest, claims the complainant.