Woman tied to tree, assaulted for ‘stealing’ fish in Udupi, 3 arrested: Police

Chief minister Siddaramaiah expressed his deep concern over the incident, calling it a disgraceful and criminal act.

Three people were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly tying a 41-year-old woman to a tree and assaulting her after accusing her of stealing fish in Udupi district, police said on Wednesday.

In the purported videos, a woman could be seen slapping the victim while a crowd looked. The victim was later tied to a tree and assaulted again (File photo)

Police said that the incident took place on March 18 near the Malpe fishing harbour and the videos of the alleged assault went viral on social media, they said.

In the purported videos, a woman could be seen slapping the victim while a crowd looked. The victim was later tied to a tree and assaulted again. Despite the public humiliation, no one intervened to stop it, police said.

“The victim was restrained and beaten by a group of people who accused her of stealing fish. The prime suspect, Lakshmi Bai (58), along with Sundara (40) and Shilpa (36) were arrested on Wednesday. An FIR has been registered at the Malpe police station, and we are verifying if there are any other accused. Strict legal action will be take,” superintendent of police (SP) Arun Kumar told HT.

Chief minister Siddaramaiah expressed his deep concern over the incident, calling it a disgraceful and criminal act. “Whatever the reason, it is inhumane and unacceptable to tie up and assault a woman in this manner. Karnataka is a state known for its culture and civility, and such behaviour has no place here,” he said.

“We have a legal system in place to address theft, fraud, and other crimes. It is the responsibility of the police to investigate complaints and take lawful action. The government will not tolerate mob justice,” he stated in a post on X.

The CM directed the police to conduct a thorough investigation into the case and take necessary legal action.

With inputs from PTI