Nothing new for us, right? Women are molested, publically raped and then thrown on the public streets, and then die a death that was just not hers. This is what we’re used to. Isn’t that the truth?

It was on the 11th of December at around 1am when Shashikala (alias) was dragged through the streets and was paraded naked; beaten up in front of the whole village. The incident is from Hosa Vantamuri village in Belagavi district in the Southern Indian state of Karnataka.

But what was the reason?

The 42-year-old woman and a mother of a 24-year-old son was unaware of her son’s love affair with an 18-year-old girl. The police reached the village around 4am after receiving a tip-off, rescuing Shashikala and took her to the hospital. She was reported to be suffering from severe trauma. Her husband later told a visiting State Minister, “My wife and I didn’t even know about the relationship”. It was also noted that the assault in Belagavi was watched by “a crowd of 50-60 villagers“, adding that “only one man tried to intervene and he was also beaten up”.

What about the accused? 

More than a dozen people have been arrested and a local police officer has been suspended for “dereliction of duty”.

State’s Chief Minister Siddaramaiah called it an “inhuman act” and promised justice to her. The government has given her some agricultural land and money, although authorities have acknowledged there could be no compensation for the humiliation she endured.

We are all witness to the fact that this is not the very first time in a country like India where women on one end are worshiped and on the other end are molested by men.  

One such story that sparked global outrage came from the northeastern state of Manipur in July. A viral video showed two women being dragged and groped by a mob of men before one of them was allegedly gang-raped.

The horrific attack had a political angle – Manipur was gripped by violent ethnic clashes involving the Kuki and Meitei communities.

But reports from other states show such incidents are often rooted in caste or familial conflicts, with women’s bodies routinely becoming the battleground.

As we ponder where it all ends, the vital question lies here: Can women truly feel safe anywhere? The answer lies not just in asking but in building spaces where every woman feels secure. But what I feel is, the law will be made and destroyed, it the humanity and in the hands of the woman herself to keep herself on her top priority. It’s an ongoing journey, requiring our collective commitment to breaking down barriers. Let’s work towards creating a sanctuary every woman deserves.

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Minister Rao emphasized the importance of individuals with Covid-19 staying home for a week and issued orders for both government and private organizations to grant leave to affected individuals unable to go to work due to the virus. Despite the overall increase in Covid-19 cases, Rao reported only seven deaths in the state, three of which were confirmed cases of the JN.1 variant.

Out of 60 samples sent for genome sequencing, 34 were identified as the JN.1 variant, along with another variant, JN.1.1. Minister Rao reassured the public, stating that while the variant is new, there is no need for panic, as the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified it as a variant of interest without indicating it is dangerous.

Acknowledging the severity of the situation, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah ordered an inspection of Intensive Care Units (ICUs) in the state and emphasized the availability of oxygen supply and Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) to prevent shortages.

Of the 436 positive cases, approximately 400 are in home isolation, and seven are in ICUs. The state government is securing additional resources, including the procurement of four oxygen containers and requesting 30,000 additional precautionary vaccines from the central government.

In the latest health bulletin, Karnataka reported 74 new Covid-19 cases and two deaths with comorbidities. Notably, 34 cases of the JN.1 variant were detected, with Bengaluru city reporting the highest number.

Despite the rise in cases, Minister Rao assured that there would be no restrictions on New Year celebrations in Bengaluru and other parts of the state, urging the public to take necessary precautions in crowded places. Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar echoed this sentiment, stating that while people need to be careful, there is no need to panic, and business activities will continue without restrictions.

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