Karnataka Horror: 24-Year-Old Woman Abducted, Drugged, And Raped In Karkala; BJP Alleges 'Love Jihad'

Karnataka Horror: The survivor was abducted by a man with whom she had been acquainted through Instagram for the past three months.

Karnataka Horror: A 24-year-old woman was allegedly kidnapped, drugged, and raped by two men in Karkala, Udupi district, police reported on Saturday. The crime reportedly took place on the night of August 23 within the jurisdiction of Karkala town police station.

According to authorities, the victim, a resident of Karkala town, was allegedly abducted by a man identified as Althaf, with whom she had been acquainted through Instagram for the past three months. The two had initially connected online and belonged to the same town. On the day of the incident, Althaf reportedly arrived at the woman's workplace and forcibly took her in a car to a secluded location, according to a report on PTI.

As per the police, Althaf was later joined by an accomplice, identified as Richard Cardoza. The men allegedly forced the woman to consume a drink that had been laced with drugs. Following this, Althaf reportedly raped the woman and then dropped her back at her residence.

The Udupi Superintendent of Police, Arun K, confirmed that both Althaf and Cardoza have been arrested, and the vehicle used in the crime has been seized, as per the report. The victim's statement has been recorded and will be presented to the magistrate as part of the ongoing investigation.

"The victim has been admitted to Kasturba Hospital in Manipal for treatment," said the police official. The accused have been charged under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Samhita (BNS), including Section 138 (Abduction) and Section 64 (Rape). A formal case has been registered, and further legal proceedings are underway.

The BJP State General Secretary and Karkala MLA V Sunil Kumar has strongly criticised the incident, labeling it as a case of love jihad, as reported by The New Indian Express. He expressed concern that Hindu girls are being specifically targeted and emphasised that alarm has been raised about this issue in the past. However, he alleged that the state government and the police have not been strict enough on the accused individuals, leading to the repeated occurrence of such incidents.

The incident has come at a time when the medical fratenity and public are engaged in several protests across the country against the rape and murder of a doctor in a government hospital in Kolkata.