Minister Satish Jarkiholi of Belgaum district presented a compensation cheque to the family of the woman recently assaulted, stripped, and paraded naked in Hosa Vantamuri village. The government had announced a Rs 5 lakh compensation for the victim, and Minister Jarkiholi handed over the cheque at the Deputy Commissioner’s office on Tuesday, assuring the family of continued protection.
In addition to the compensation, the victim’s family received documents for 2.03 acres of land at the Deputy Commissioner’s office, granted by the Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribe Development Corporation under the land grant scheme.
Following the gesture, Satish Jarkiholi, who serves as the PWD Minister and district in-charge Minister, accused the BJP of attempting to politicize the incident. He dismissed demands from BJP leaders for Home Minister G. Parameshwara’s resignation, stating that such calls were meaningless. Minister Jarkiholi emphasized that senior leaders, including Mr. Parameshwara and Women and Child Development Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar, had visited and supported the victim’s family.
Regarding the unfortunate incident in Vantamuri, Jarkiholi expressed sadness and urged collective efforts to prevent its recurrence. He criticized the BJP for allegedly exploiting the incident for political gain while neglecting similar incidents in BJP-ruled states across the country.
Minister Jarkiholi acknowledged the swift action taken by local police, who arrested 11 out of the 13 accused even before CID officers assumed control of the investigation. He assured ongoing efforts to safeguard the victim’s family, including the victim’s son and a girl who had sought refuge.
